Rensselaer Union, Volume 11, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 April 1879 — Planting the Next Corn-Crop. [ARTICLE]

Planting the Next Corn-Crop.

The soil for corn most be dry, rich and friable. Neither strong clay, wet nor poor lands will fill bins to overflowing. Soils are rarely too rich for corn, and, generally speaking, the plant will bear almost any amount of manure. Still, there is such a thing as feeding beyond its necessities and thereby inducing a rank growth of stalk at the expense of the grain. A clover lay or rich grass sod is an excellent preparation lor this cereal, many farmers contending that a clover sod two or three years old, all things considered, the very hest ground lor the corn-crop. Where manure is required it is advised to scatter it broadcast and plow and harrow it in. If thoroughly incorporated in the soil the roots are certain to take it up and the development of ear and grain will correspond with that of stalk and leaves, which is not liable to be the case wlion a limited amount of fertilizer is placed in the hill or drill only. The practice on poor soils of manuring in the hill induces an early start, it is true, and an early start is a great point gained; but as tho roots extend and find little or no nourishment the plant fails to make good its early promise, and a disappointment awaits the planter in the deficiency of grain. To gain paying results from the employment of stimulating elements in hill or drill, available plant-food must be near at hand in sufficient quantity to carry the plant once started on to its perfect growth., Fall and spring plowing have their merits, aud? (consequently their advocates. Fall plowing has been repeatedly urged in these columns, where there is present an abundance of vegetable matter and when there is danger from cut-worms. The time for planting varies, of course, with latitude, and after that depends iuuok upon the weather. While corn will germinate in cold earth, it will not flourish; therefore the futility of planting until the days are mild and the ground warm and dry. The old Indian rule still observed on some farms is, “ When the oak leaves are grown to the size of a squirrel's foot, plant corn.” ' Not a few ot our best farmers cling to hand planting fend hoe oulture in ,hills, but they are in the minority. It 4 generally conceded that the largest crops are grown in drills, and for extended fields corn-planters and cultivators are adopted. Flat, culture, excepting for compact soils and such as are inclined to wet, is each year gaining additional recruits, for no other method coihpares with it in the matter dt saving labor. While corn thrives best after deep plowing in most soils the seed ought never to be dropped deep or covered too thickly, two inches being all-sufficient and more than many farmers allow ih mellow ground. The distance of planting depends on the variety of seed; l**g® growing kinds requiring more space than the small. The cultivation of oom comes next in importance to the selection of the seed i which subject Was fully considered during the season for saving seed), and ■SS?*- V. „

should begin so soon as the oorn is up and cease when it is in tassel. Cultivate at first deep, but shallow subsequently; this not only subdues weeds and grass and keeps tne ground in good tilth, but checks an exuberant growth of stalk and leaves. While root-prun-ing has failed as yet to oonvinoe the majority of farmers, they generally believe that the largest development of grain is not gained fro 16 the tallest of stalks. Under the prevalent' mode of cultivation suckering is often dispensed with; indeed, the idea is being more and more universally entertained that when grain is the object suckering is to be avoided, and vice ver»a where growth of stalk is desired.— N. Y. world.