EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 277 



benefit of the inaniire. The corn will profit largely from it. The prac- 

 tice of top-dressing — of applying manure after plowing — is coming 

 much into favor. 



THE PLOWING AND OTHER PREPARATION. 



Plow reasonably deep, in good time, at least two weeks before plant- 

 ing, and more if possible. Roll to bring the newly turned soil into 

 contact with the loAver soil. Disc or spring tooth Avell. Follow with 

 a ijeg tooth harrow. Work often enough thereafter till planting time, 

 to keep the soil fairly mellow to a depth of three inches. Early plow- 

 ing and subsequent working promote proi)er conditions of moisture, 

 ventilation and temperature, all of which are so necessary to an abund- 

 ant supply of available plant food for the young crop of corn. Young 

 plants as well as young animals profit by a good supply of food, and 

 suffer as well when the supply is insufficient. 



PLANTING. 



Plant as early as soil conditions will ]:)ermit. Plant only so deep as 

 may be necessary to insure sufficient moisture to the germinating ker- 

 nel. The kernel and the succeeding plant both need the warmth of the 

 .sun. The depth will be greater in sand than in clay. 



Three kernels to the hill is considered good planting. If the seed 

 is of high quality, and the ground well prepared, this should insure a 

 good stand. 



The question of hills as against drills is one that should be settled 

 by each individual for himself. The use to which the crop is to be put 

 n'lust be a factor in deciding the question. It is generally thought that 

 a given number of plants, distributed one in a place, will give a 

 larger yield than if planted in hills of three or four plants in a place, 

 but occupying the same total area. This is denied by some good authori- 

 ties. Prove it for yourself. 



After planting, harrow at least once before the corn comes up, to 

 destroy starting weeds, and to loosen the soil. Our best corn growers 

 harroAV once or twice more before the cultivator is started. 



After the corn is well" up count the numbei- of plants per hill in a 

 number of different rows in different parts of the field. If you find 

 hills with less than two stalks or any considerable number of hills witli 

 only two stalks, there is something wrong. Such failures may be due to 



1. Poor seed, 



2. Failure to cover seed because the ground is rough or 



the soil has been insufficiently mellowed, 



3. Poor planter, 



4. Poor help, 



5. Animals — crows, gophers, moles, etc. 



any of which, save possibly the last, indicate poor management, and 

 should be remedied another year. 



CULTIVATING. 



Cultivate often enough to keep the soil free from weeds and thor- 

 oughly stirred to a depth of two inches up to the time of tasseling. 



