The valleys of the West are regarded as the corn-fields of the world,
and the people seem to regard the crop of corn as the foundation crop.
Lately wheat is becoming a rival, particularly in the northern part of
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin. Our real object, is, not
to theorize,—to teach “book farming”—but to lay before practical men
practical results, to inform them of _what has been done_. We give on
page 382 the method of cultivating the potato as employed by eminent
and successful cultivators. We here present the modes of cultivating
corn which have produced the largest crops.
W. C. YOUNG’S METHOD.—Mr. Young is a Kentucky farmer, and raised 195
bushels of shelled corn to the acre. When this was first published it
quite staggered the faith of eastern farmers. This roused the zeal of
Kentucky, and the _Dollar Farmer_ sets forth the manner, and adds a
series of explanations, all of which we give. We must say, that such a
depth, for seed on stiff soils—on any soil except the lightest and
mellowest, and on these, in a cool or rainy spring, would not be
proper. Neither could planting be done in March in the latitudes of
Indiana unless in the southern part, and then only in early seasons.
That Mr. Young did produce 195 bushels to the acre, we feel just as
certain as that we now hold a pen in our hand. It was measured by as
respectable gentlemen as any in Jessamine County—gentlemen appointed
for the purpose by the Jessamine Agricultural Society. And let it be
remembered that this was no first experiment on a single acre. The
corn was planted and cultivated according to the method long adopted
by Mr. Young, and his whole crop was pronounced equal to the five
acres measured. This extraordinary crop was produced in 1840, a year
very favorable to corn; but we are told by Mr. Young that in the
dryest years he does not get less than 100 bushels to the acre.
Here then is not “book farming,” but a method of cultivation
_practised_ for years by a plain, practical, but intelligent farmer.
Here then is actual experience for a course of years, the very thing
the farmer says he must have before he can be convinced! But, reader,
are you convinced? No. You can not get round the experience, provided
it _was_ experience, and you will take a short way of evading the
matter by simply saying that you don’t believe a word of the whole
story.
Strange as it may seem, these worthy farmers that go so strong for
_facts_ and _experience_, and who yet deny all facts and all
experience that do not tally with their own notions—these very farmers
are fond of arguing, and like mightily to have the reason or
_rationale_ of things explained; and many a one of them will yield to
the _theory_ who will not yield to a _fact_. Well, then, let us look
into the theory of Mr. Y.’s practice. Hear him:
“My universal rule is, to plow my corn land the fall
preceding the spring when I plant; and as early in the
spring as possible, I cross-plow as deep as circumstances
will permit; and as soon as this is done, I commence
checking off—the first way with my large plows, and the
second with my small ones; the checks three feet by three,
admitting of working the land both ways. And then I plant my
corn from the 20th to the 25th of March—a rule to which I
adhere with scrupulous exactness; planting from eight to
twelve grains in each hill, covering the same from _four to
six inches deep_, greatly preferring the latter depth. So
soon as my corn is up of sufficient height, I start the
large harrow directly over the rows, allowing a horse to
walk each side; harrowing the way the corn was planted; and
on land prepared as above and harrowed as directed, the
hoeing part will be so completely performed by this process,
that it will satisfy the most skeptical. Then, allowing the
corn thus harrowed, to remain a few days, I start my small
plow with the bar next the corn; and so nicely will this be
done, that when a row is thus plowed, so completely will the
intermediate spaces, hills, etc., be lapped in by the loose
earth, occasioned by this system of close plowing, as to
render any other work useless for a time. I thin to four
stalks upon a hill, never having to transplant, the second
plowing being performed with the moldboard toward the rows
of corn; and so rapid has been the growth of the corn
between the first and second plowings, that this is
performed with ease; and when in this stage, I consider my
crop safe—my general rule being, never to plow my corn more
than four times, and harrow once. My practice is, to put a
field in corn two successive years, then grass it, and let
it lie eight years—a rule from which I never deviate. Now, I
do not pretend that the labor bestowed upon a sodfield to
put it in a state of thorough cultivation, does not meet
with a fair equivalent from one crop; but I presume no
farmer will doubt when I say the second year’s crop from sod
land is better than the first, with not more than one half
the labor. The best system of farming is to produce the
greatest amount of profit from the smallest amount of labor.”
Now what are the essentials of this method?
First—Fertility of soil, kept up by his system of manuring and grass,
of which we shall not speak.
Second—Early planting. In consequence of this, the corn matures before
the dry season commences, and every farmer knows that plenty of rain
will make a good crop of corn in almost any soil. They all know that
the essential thing for corn is rain, and there is generally plenty of
rain till about the 1st of July. Mr. Young might plant his corn
considerably later and have it come up as early, and grow off more
rapidly, by soaking it in a solution of saltpetre. Thus would the
effect of frost and chilly mornings be in a degree avoided, while we
feel confident, from our own experience, all injury from the cut-worm
would be avoided.
Third—Close planting. Every farmer must know that to produce the
heaviest possible crop, a certain number of stalks must be upon the
ground. It is often observed that the great sin of American
agriculture is too thin sowing. Grass is nearly always sowed too thin,
and the same is true of small grain. In England they sow four and five
and sometimes six bushels of oats to the acre; in this country
generally not more than a bushel or a bushel and a half. Hence in
England they yield three or four times as heavy as in this country;
while in this country we never hear of an extraordinary crop where
less than three or four bushels to the acre were sown. Now, we venture
to affirm that no very large corn crop was ever grown unless it was
planted more than usually thick. In the crop of George W. Williams, of
Bourbon county, Kentucky, the corn was planted in rows two feet apart,
with a stalk every foot in the rows. This crop produced 167 bushels to
the acre. But there is another important advantage of close planting.
The corn very soon becomes so dense that the ground is shaded, and the
growth of the grass is prevented, and the moisture retained in the
soil. By this method of cultivation, no grass is ever allowed to
absorb the moisture from the earth, or to take up the nutritious gases
which ought to be appropriated exclusively to the corn.
Fourth—Deep planting. This probably operates favorably by giving the
roots a bedding where the soil is always moist. Another advantage may
be that the roots are thus not so liable to be broken by the plow in
cultivation. But it must be here noted, that by Mr. Young’s methed,
the corn is “laid by” before the roots are so extended as to be liable
to much injury from the plow.
Fifth and last—It will be observed that, by Mr. Young’s method, the
soil is kept very friable and loose, and that to a considerable depth.
This may be considered the all-essential point in husbandry. One of
the chief advantages of all manures is, so to divide the soil that the
atmosphere, from which plants derive their principal nutriment, may
freely penetrate to the roots of the plants. In such a loose soil,
too, it is well known that much less rain is requisite than in a
stiff, cold, close soil. For this reason, gravel, sand, or sawdust is
often the best manure that can be put upon a stiff soil. In the fall
of the year, Mr. Young turns down very deep a thick-rooted sod of
eight years’ standing. The vegetable matter in the sod will obviously
keep the soil very loose for a year or two by mechanical division, as
well as by the slow fermentation of this matter in the soil. But this
is not all. The soil is deeply broken up before planting; it is
harrowed thoroughly as soon as the corn comes up, and then there is a
rapid succession of plowing, until the ground is shaded by the corn,
and plowing is no longer possible or necessary. No doubt the plow is
preferable to the hand-hoe or cultivator in the case of Mr. Young; for
it makes the soil loose to a greater depth, and we have already
explained that, according to his method, the roots of the corn are not
exposed to injury from the plow.
We append to this account of Mr. Young’s method, that of several other
cultivators, and are indebted for them to the _Western Farmer and
Guardian_. In Mr. Miller’s account the reader will observe the _depth
of planting_ in a stiff clay.
MR. SUTTON’S METHOD.—Mr. James M. Sutton, of St. George, Delaware, who
raised upon seventy-nine acres 6,284 bushels of corn, and who gives an
accurate and detailed account of the condition and cultivation of each
field, makes this remark in relation to the use of the plow:
“In order to test the advantage of the cultivator over the
plow, for tilling corn, he had five rows in this field that
he lapped the furrow to, with a plow, previous to going over
it the last time with the cultivator. He soon discovered
that the growth of these five rows fell short, in height, of
those adjacent, and yielded one-fifth less corn.
“There is no doubt but the true mode of tilling corn,
especially where sod-ground is used, is to plow deep, and
use nothing but the fallow and flake-harrow for its
cultivation. By not disturbing the sod plowed down, it
remains there as a reservoir of moisture, and an
exhilarating principle throughout the season, to the growth
of the corn.”
Upon Mr. Sutton’s report of his crop, Judge Buel adds the following:
“The management which led to the extraordinary product of
corn, should be deeply impressed upon the mind of every
corn-grower. 1, The ground was WELL dunged with LONG manure;
2, it was planted on a grass lay, one deep plowing; 3, it
was well pulverized with the harrow; 4, the plow was not
used in the after-culture, nor the corn hilled, but the
cultivator only used; 5, the sod was not disturbed, nor the
manure turned to the surface; and 6, the corn was cut at the
ground when it was fit to top. These are the points which we
have repeatedly urged in treating of the culture of this
crop; and their correctness is put beyond question by this
notable result. The value of lime and marl are well
illustrated in the second experiment.”
Mr. Charles H. Tomlinson, of Schenectady, N. Y., in giving an account
of his experience says:
“The two last years’ corn has been raised in the following
manner, on the Mohawk Flats near this city. If in grass, the
land is plowed and well harrowed, lengthwise of the furrow,
without disturbing the sward. The ground is then prepared
for planting, by being marked out two and a half feet one
way and three feet the other. The last season, the field was
rolled after being planted, with evident benefit, as it made
it level. When the corn is three inches high, the cultivator
is passed through both ways; and twice afterward it is used
in the same manner; no hills are made, but the ground is
kept level. Neither hand-hoe nor plow are used, after the
corn is planted. Fields manured with coarse manure have been
tilled in the same manner. Corn tilled in this way is as
clean of weeds as when tilled in the usual way: it is no
more liable to be blown down, and the produce equally good.
It saves a great deal of hard labor which is an expensive
item in the usual culture of corn. Last October, ten rods
were measured out in two different places, in a corn-field,
on grass land—the one yielding ten, the other nine, bushels
of ears. In one corn-field, after the last dressing in July,
timothy and clover-seed were sown, and in the fall the grass
appeared to have taken as well as it has done in adjoining
fields where it had been sown with oats.”
Upon which Judge Buel again remarks: “All, or nearly all, the accounts
we have published of great products of Indian corn, agree in two
particulars, viz. in not using the plow in the culture, and in not
earthing, or but very slightly, the hills. These results go to
demonstrate, that the entire roots are essential to the vigor of the
crops, and to enable them to perform their functions as nature
designed, must be near the surface. If the roots are severed with the
plow, in dressing the crop, the plants are deprived of a portion of
their nourishment; and if they are buried deep by hilling, the plant
is partially exhausted in throwing out a new set near the surface,
where alone they can perform all their offices. There is another
material advantage in this mode of cultivating the corn crop—it saves
a vast deal of manual labor.”
The preceding considerations justify us in recommending, that in the
management of the Indian corn crop, the following rules be observed,
or at least partially, so far as to test their correctness.
1. That the corn harrow and cultivator be substituted for the plow in
the culture of the crop.
2. That the plants be not hilled, or but slightly so—this not to
prevent the soil being often stirred and kept clean, and,
3. That in harvesting, the crop be cut at the ground as soon as the
grain is glazed.
Again, in reference to the system of level cultivation of corn, Judge
Buel remarks:
“The experience of the last two years has been sufficient to
admonish us, that without due precaution, our crops of
Indian corn will not pay for the labor bestowed on the
culture; and yet, that where due attention has been paid to
soil, manure, seed and harvesting, the return has been
bountiful, notwithstanding bad seasons. Having been
uniformly successful in the culture of this crop, we feel
justified in repeating some leading directions for its
management.”
“AFTER-CULTURE.—In this the plow should not be used if the corn harrow
and cultivator can be had, and if used, should not be suffered to
penetrate the soil more than two or three inches. The plow tears the
roots, turns up and wastes the manure, and increases the injuries of
drought. The main object is to extirpate weeds, and to keep the
surface mellow and open, that the heat, air and moisture may exert
better their kind influences upon the vegetable matter in the soil, in
converting it into nutriment for the crop. At the first dressing with
the hand-hoe, the plants are reduced to four, or three, in a hill, the
surface is broken among the plants, the weeds carefully extirpated,
and a little fresh mold gathered to the hill. At the second dressing,
a like process is observed, taking care that the earthing shall not
exceed one inch and a half, that the hill be broad and flat, and that
the earth for this purpose be not taken from one place, but gathered
from the surface between the rows, where it has been loosened by the
cultivator.”
MR. MILLER’s METHOD.
“GEORGETOWN × ROADS, _Kent Co., Md._
“I have just finished measuring the corn that grew this year on a lot
of mine of five and a half acres, and have measured 105½ barrels and
one bushel of ears, making 103 bushels of corn per acre. The following
is the manner in which I prepared the ground, etc. The soil is a stiff
clay; and one and a half acres of said lot was in clover last year,
the balance in wheat. I put 265 two-horse cart loads of barn-yard
manure on it: the manure was coarse, made out of straw, corn-tops and
husks, hauled into the yard in January and February, and hauled out in
March and April, consequently was very little rotted. I spread it
regularly and plowed it down with a large concave plow, seven inches
deep. I then harrowed it twice the same way it was plowed. I then had
the rows marked out with a small plow, three feet ten inches wide, and
one and a half inches deep. I planted my corn from eighteen to
twenty-two inches apart, and covered it with hoes: just drawing the
furrows over the corn, which covered it _one and a half inches below
the surface_. When the corn was four inches high, I harrowed it, and
thinned it to two stalks in the hill: in about two weeks after
harrowing, I cultivated it: about the 15th of June I cultivated it
again, which was all the tillage I gave it. We farmers of the eastern
shore count our corn by the thousand: I had 38,640 hills on my lot,
and I think my corn would have been better had I planted earlier: I
did not plant until the last of April. I think the planting of corn
shallow and working it with the cultivator is much the best way,
especially on clover lay.”
MR. HOPKINS’ METHOD.—“_Soil and Culture._—The soil is a warm sandy
loam. It was plowed deep in the autumn. About the first of May, I
carried on, and spread all over the ground, about thirty loads of
stable and barn-yard unfermented manure, then rolled and harrowed the
ground well, being careful not to disturb the sod, which was timothy,
and mown the summer preceding; and on the 9th and 10th of May planted
the same, two and a half feet between the rows, and fifteen inches
between the hills. It was dressed with ashes when it made its
appearance above ground. On the 10th June commenced weeding and
thinning, leaving from two to four of the best spears in each hill,
the whole averaging about three spears in a hill. After this I ashed
it again, using in all about ten bushels of good unleached house
ashes. On the 10th of July commenced hoeing, and at the same time took
off all the suckers—put no more about the hills than we took from
them, but carefully cleaned out all the weeds from the hills. The seed
was prepared by simply wetting it with warm water, and rolling it in
plaster.
“HARVESTING.—The corn was cut up on the 18th September at the ground,
and shocked in small shocks; and on the 9th of October it was housed
and husked, and subsequently threshed and measured.
“PRODUCT.—Ninety-nine bushels of first-rate corn, without even a
nubbin of soft or poor grain, owing to the fact, probably, that there
were no suckers on which to grow them.”