CORN PREMIUMS.

The State Board of Agriculture, for the purpose of collecting valuable information, and to stimulate better methods of corn culture in our State, which now averages but twenty-six and a fraction bushels of corn per acre, an amount too small to return a profit for its growth, offered the following premiums, on the following conditions, namely: One hundred dollars for first premium, fifty dollars for second, and twenty-five dollars for third premium, first, second and third largest yields of corn raised in Missouri in 1887. To this premium, Abeil Leonard, member of the Board from Saline county, offered $100 in addition, open to the competition of the State, and which was divided into first, second and third, as is the Board's premium.

CONDITIONS.

I. The area under competition shall be five acres.

II. The rows, neither at their ends or sides, shall reach within two feet of the outside of the five acres.

III. The ground shall be measured by the county surveyor, or some competent person deputized by him, and shall be duly certified.

IV. The distance apart of the rows and hills shall be stated in the returns of the crops, also the actual number of plants to the acre at harvest, both barren and bearing plants.

V. There shall be given also the depth and time of plowing, the time of planting, the number of times cultivated, the depth of cultivation, or whether deep or shallow, the depth of planting, the variety of corn used, the measurement and description of an average ear, with the height of stalk.

VI. The previous crops grown for three past years shall be stated, together with a description of the soil. In case it is required, a sample of the soil upon which the best crops are grown, shall be forwarded for analysis, at our expense for transportation and analysis.

VII. A careful statement shall be made of the manuring resorted to to increase the crop, both in kind and quality, including method of

use.

CONDITIONS OF CORN PREMIUMS.

503

VIII. The crop of corn is to be, all of it, actually weighed by a justice of the peace, or some one appointed by him, and shall be duly certified to. On or before the 20th of October, and on the day when the harvesting of the corn begins from the center two rows twenty hills in from the end, fifty lbs. of ear of corn shall be gathered, and every ear shall be taken on the plants until fifty lbs. are gathered. This corn shall be weighed accurately and forwarded by express to the Secretary, to test for moisture. By this means, justice will be secured to all, and the actual yield of dry corn per acre ascertained, perhaps for the first time. No corn shall be harvested when moist from rain or dew.

IX. Before the prize is awarded, the member of the Board nearest, or if inconvenient for him, some other member of the Board shall visit the farms of those likely to receive the award, and satisfy himself regarding the fulfillment of the conditions laid down.

X. All competitors are expected to add any information not laid down in these rules that will be of value to the public.

XI. The public are again requested to add to these premiums in order to secure a sharp competition, and to do a great public good. Some parties are expected to add premiums to the above, provided it is taken by any one of their county, while others will give it to the best crop of their county competing for the prize. I ask that all such extra prizes be reported to me for publication and use.

The premiums are again renewed for the season of 1888 the conditions to remain the same as for 1887, and it is sincerely hoped that hundreds of corn growers will compete for the prizes.

Quite a number of farmers from different sections of the State gave notice in early spring that they intended to enter the contest and several planted their corn with that expectation, but the severe drouth so restricted its growth that the design was abandoned.

Only three competitors were left when the time came for making their returns to this office, and in the following table and notes is given the yields and full particulars of culture, manuring, etc.:

AWARD OF PREMIUMS.

505

The sample sent to this office, in compliance with Rule VIII. of the foregoing conditions was reduced ten per cent. moisture and on this basis the yield per acre for the whole five acres was calculated with the result as above given.

Wm. and H. Howard, of Saline county, therefore, received the first premium or $100, and four-sevenths of the special prize of $100given by Mr. A biel Leonard. A. B. Mathews, of Jackson county, was awarded the second premium or $50, and two sevenths of the special prize, and H. T. Wright, of Boone county, secured the third premium or $25, and one-seventh of the special.

It should be borne in mind that the above yields were secured in an unusually dry season. The average yield per acre for the State being only 22.8 bushels and represents 63.4 per cent. of a full average crop.

Below is given a detailed statement of character of soil, culture, manuring and other matters of general interest pertaining to corn growing.

HOWARD BRO'S. STATEMENT OF CULTIVATION, ETC.

The ground had been in meadow and pasture for thirteen years. previous to breaking up for this crop-March, 1887. About four years since $50 was expended in manuring the ground. Horse manure was used and was obtained from the livery stables of Marshall. The manure was hauled on the ground and thrown in piles and spread over the grass in the spring.

The ground was plowed for the present crop four or five inches. deep in March, and immediately dragged both ways with a heavy double drag, sixteen feet long, and requiring four horses. It was next cut each way with a sod cutter and was again dragged each way as before stated. Just before planting, the ground was dragged again, but this time much less weight was used. .

It was then marked off with the rows exactly three feet apart each way and perfectly straight. The planting was done by hand, using spades to cut entirely through the sod, and a boy dropped the seed in the hill as the men spaded it. Finished planting April 19.

As soon as well up, cultivated in the center of the row with long, narrow bull-tongue plows, and immediately cross-plowed with tongueless cultivator. Plowed it four times with tongueless cultivator and followed each time with a drag drawn by one horse. Boys, eight or ten years old, did the work.

Corn replanted first of May, and suckered and thinned to from three or four stalks in a hill. At the same time all weeds were removed from the hills and this work was thoroughly done twice. The drag kept the ground free from weeds and grass and aided the plowing by leaving the ground perfectly smooth.

Seed used, Yellow Dent, having previously taken four premiums at the Saline County Fair and first premium at the Prairie Farmer's (Chicago,) corn show in November, 1886.

I have used the drag for a number of years in preparing ground for corn, and believe it is one of the greatest labor-saving implements in use, as it pulverizes the soil better than a roller and kills all weeds. 'It is not expensive and any farmer can make one.

STATEMENT BY A. B. MATTHEWS.

In conformity with the conditions above Mr. A. B. Matthews makes the following statement concerning his five acres in addition to that given in the preceding table of yields:

The land on which this corn was grown had been an exceedingly wet piece of bottom, so wet, in fact, that on the preceding year I did not raise enough to pay taxes. I then tile-drained the land, placing the tile about forty inches deep. The latteral drains are sixty feet apart.

This enabled me to plow the corn much sooner after a rain than land on the hill could be plowed which was not drained.

The land had been grown in corn for the two years preceding this crop, and prior to that had been in a swamp for millions of years per haps.

Forty-eight loads of well rotted barn-yard manure were well scattered on the ground after it was plowed.

Quality of soil, vegetable mold overlying what is commonly called joint clay subsoil.

Land broke six inches deep on April 11th and 12th. Planted from three to four grains in the hill and three inches deep on April 28th.

Corn cultivated May 6th, harrowed with a smoothing harrow May 16. Plowed the corn May 23d, five inches deep; June 14th, five inches deep; June 24th, five inches deep; (I think this was too deep for this time of the year); July 16th, plowed with double shovel about three and a half inches. Quite a number of hills were missing, but am not positive as to the number. Variety of corn, Mammoth Cuban, for a bushel of which I paid $23, and express. Not being familiar with the habits of this corn, the mistake of planting three or four grains to