CORN. 51 



mode is carefully and tlioughly practiced, other things being 

 equal, no fears ever need be had regarding the result. 



The corn being planted, which should be carefully done, 

 being covered by about an inch of fine soil, and well started 

 in growth, the legitimate care of the same commences. This 

 consists in hoeing, keeping clear of all weeds or foul growtli, 

 and sufficient stirring of the soil. To keep perfectly clear 

 from weeds is one of the great essentials, for it is hardly con- 

 sidered to be good husbandry to thoroughly prepare a field for 

 a crop of foul growth. Of the stirring of the soil, it is hardly 

 possible to carry the same to excess, since it is a fact, that a 

 good proportion of the food of plants is derived from the 

 atmosphere in the form of gases, and it is also a fact that 

 fresh earth has a greater power for abstracting these from the 

 atmosphere ; therefore the greater the amount of fresh sur- 

 face of earth exposed, the greater the volume or quantity of 

 gases absorbed, and hence a larger amount of plant food 

 obtained. 



It is always desirable that the seed should be of the best 

 quality, and this can be secured by a proper care in selection; 

 and it is now generally believed that not only corn but other 

 crops can be greatly improved in quality as well as quantity 

 by careful selection and cultivation. 



Perhaps it ought to be stated, that the time of planting 

 should' be regulated in a great measure by the season. 

 At all events, it should be postponed until the ground is 

 thoroughly warmed, and all danger from frost is passed. 

 If planting is done before the ground is sufficiently warmed, 

 the seed is liable to decay ; but if planting is postponed later, 

 as the ground is then warm, the young corn grows rapidly 

 and is oftentimes more advanced tjian that considerably ear- 

 lier planted. Fields of corn are often planted the first of 

 June, and they have been known to have been planted as late 

 as the tenth of June, from which good results have followed. 

 Taking into consideration the average period of growth of 

 corn, perhaps no better rule can be adopted than to plant at 

 such time as will be sure to allow of ripening previous to the 

 first fall frost. 



