I06 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



ing, and that is usually done by removing the tassels. Of 

 course this could not be done in large areas, but in an attempt 

 to improve a strain of corn only a small area should be used; 

 an acre would be plenty, half an acre better. It should be 

 planted away from any other piece of corn. 



Dr. Twitchell told you about taking out the suckers or 

 imperfect stalks. That is simply to avoid the fertilization of 

 the ears with those that are not strong. One plan is to go 

 through and detassel every other row. Another plan is to 

 (letassel one end of one row and the other end of the other so 

 that you get ears and pollen on both rows. One of the first 

 things to do in an attempt to improve corn is to prevent self 

 fertilization. 



Xow another interesting thing about the com ]ilant is its root 

 system, which has a great deal to do with successful com 

 ]>roduction. Corn has two kinds of roots, the fibrous roots 

 which are the feeding roots and fill up the soil to the depth of 

 8 or lo inches, and the strong secondary roots that act as 

 braces. 'Phey come out sometimes six or eight inches above the 

 surface of the ground and hold the plant erect. A knowledge 

 of the root system is useful in determining the kind of cultiva- 

 tion. If you will examine the soil in your corn field after the 

 corn has been planted about six weeks you will find that the 

 roots have passed each other in the rows, and if you cultivate 

 deeply you prune off nine-tenths or at least three-fourths of the 

 feeding roots. So that after the corn is well established noth- 

 ing but shallow, frequent cultivation should be practiced. A 

 great many experiments have been carried on by experiment 

 stations in this direction and several of them indicate that a 

 yield of 20 to 24 bushels per acre extra can be had where 

 shallow, frequent cultivation is practiced, as against the deep 

 cultivation of the corn. So remember in the cultivation of corn, 

 that the root system is strong and fills the soil and cutting off 

 the fibrous feeding roots is one of the worst things you can do. 



In an attempt to improve corn in Maine a strain should be 

 selected that is adapted to this region. For instance, a strain 

 should be selected for Maine that will endure the climate and 

 that will mature ; one that vmder proper cultivation and with 

 proper treatment will have possibilities in it for improvement. 



