Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 June 1877 — Early and Clean Culture Makes the Corn Crop. [ARTICLE]

Early and Clean Culture Makes the Corn Crop.

To nnnwm a good crop, com must have a good start. As our farms get older and the soil loses its friability by producing a succession of cereal crops, it becomes the more necessary that the corn, especially, shoikld have early and constant cultivation until it arriyes at such maturity as to secure its own protection from wfeeds by shading the ground. Land pot continually renewed by the production of the grasses or by the, application of an abundance of manure, leaves the crop an easy prey to insects and to all the adverse circumstances of too much rain to drown it, or tong continued Beason* of drought to parch the ground and cut short the yield of com. Underdrainage seems to be one of the great needs of the country, as is demonstrated at some portion of almost every year, but as this cannot be dope in a day the farmer must leave it for some future convenience, and must bestow more labor in the cultivation of his crops to secure,' tbe-best results, than would be required to: ptem the-^water level” at the desired' distance beneath the surface of event acre j of his farm, iu the proper use of tile. 1 Much rain has fallen in many lections of the com latitude, which will leave the ground in various degrees of cdmpactnees, and unless fanners use considerable judgment and perseverance in the management of the soil, it will, before they are aware of it, obtain that “baked” condition, from which it is no easy matter to reduce it to that condition which shall promote the best growth of the crop. It does not pay to wait until the corn is •large enough to plow, but by the time it aeaches that Bize, at which our “ fathers ” began the process of cultivation, the soil should be so clean, pulverized and packed, that the process oi securing the best poesi•ble yield will be more than naif performed, j The rudest and most simply constructed implements, improvised by a skillful farmer, will do more rapid and effectual work than tho best finished and most expensive machinery, very many times, iand it stands the farmer in hand, when the work has been delayed for anj reason, to use a little judgment in the. construction of such implements. If a roller is not at hand, some other kind of a “clod-crusher” may be easily constructed, for clods are a great hindrance, and should not be tolerated on any farm. Where jhe ground gets so firm as not to be sufficiently disturbed by the use of a harrow or properly-constructed brash, iij as important that the cultivator is run! astride the rows, before the corn comes j up, which leaves the land in a ridged' state. It should be left in this condition j until the corn is about to make its appear- 1 ance, when, if thesoil is sufficiently mel- j low,a brush may be used across the: .ridges. If cloddy,.a heavy slab or fiat ; log drawn in line .with the rows will perhaps do better execution. Hitch underneath the front e4ge of'the “crusher,” that it may override.the clod. If .4 brush is used, contract it by using a pole of proper thickness, about twelve feet.in length. Bose inch and one-half hole*, sixteen inches .Rpart, and insert crab,apple bushes large enough so that when the tops are crowded together they will form a compact mass. With a stiff plank placed the whole length for the driver ito stand upon, and a span of horses attached to each end of ithe pole, with the heads of the-inside oneeamited by a hitch strab of proper length, thd “ machine" is ready far rapid and effectual work. It is impdltwri that the work he done rapidly, for jt the sweather is wans ithe. corn will not wfeßT If the rowjl are distinctly seen in a few days after tne operation, it will be but “ boy’s play” to cultivate a crop of cogs. Where the soil Is sufficiently mellow, the hirnfw will efffecttiaHy subdue (he ioxmg weeds and leave the corn in good condition. If the roller has been amply used, a good square harrow may be used to excellent advantage until the corn is large enough to plow. Don’t be alarmed about tearing out the corn, if muck damage is being done to the weeds just startnig. la fact, it tickles the ground in such a manner that it will laugh with a largely increased and abundant harvest. Brother farmers, whatever you do, give your coin a good chance at the start, if •you would “ heap ,high the goldeh com” the coming autumn. —Wettern Rut at.