PLANTING THE CORN.

Bruce Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 179, 20 October 1903, Page 7

PLANTING THE CORN.

Have the Soil Mellow and Fine nnd - Stirred Deep. If a s g*ood stand of corn is secured, care mi-sk be taken first to have good seed nnd ilhcn to plant under c--uch cou-du-oiis iis will brings a quick geiiniral tioii or the seed and a. thrifty start to grow. Plr.nts, like animals, are easily stunted when young, and no after treatment will wholly overcome i!he effects of stunting. Awhile it is< best to plant reasonably early, it is of no advantage to plant when the soil is- wet or cold, or before it has been carefully prepared. s ßetter delay the planting nattier than to plant under unfavorable conditions. Com is a crop that should germinate in A short time after -the seed is planted, and the plants should make a steadygrowth to maturity. Plow deep .and thbrough. If the ground has Deen plowed during the fall or wsinter go over it with a disk or spading barrow. It is an item to have thesqil mellowand fine and stirred reasonably deep. Taking one year with another, deep plowing or stirring of the soil before planting should be the rule, -with sh-aJ-low, thorough cultivation afterwards. It is only occasionally that it will be best to plow or cultivate deep after the plants are up. Generally thorough stirring of the soil keeping down the weeds, and the soil fine and mellow, -will give better results tlhan to plow or cultivate deep. Rather more and better corn can be grown hy planting in drills than in hills, but it is nearly always done at an increased cost. In nearly all cases it will cost more to give clean cultivation vvMtfii drill-planting than with hiil. ■I'iit whoa: the land is free from weeds, sro that the cost of cultivating is not inc.Te.used too much, drill planting Avill give the best growth and yield. But in an average soil, it is usually more economical to plant in hills far ennv.'.'rh apart each way, so that cultivation can be given both ways. One adviintrsge in using only good seed and planting under the most favorable conditions is that just the number of plants wanted in each hill, that many kernels of corn can be dropped. While it is better to thin out than to replant, both of these may usually be avoided by using good seed and taking care in planting. When the soil is wa.rm and' dry deep covering will be best. If the soil is rather wet or cold, it will be best to cover .shallow. The fertility of the soil must determine the number of.stialks in each hill. It is better to have one or two strong, vigorous plants than three or four small, unthrifty ones. It is better to thin out than to let the p Hants stand so thick as to stunt their growth. — St. Louis Republic.