Forage Crops. 273 



amount of produce or feeding value. By the introduction of the 

 silo it is now possible to produce milk as cheap or cheaper during 

 the winter than during the summer. By the more general use of 

 forage and soiling crops it will be possible to lessen materially the 

 cost of production of milk in summer. Though corn is one of 

 the most common of our farm crops, yet there are some facts with 

 reference to its nature and production about which it may be well 

 to speak somewhat in detail. 



History of the Plant. 



Corn is a sub-tropical plant and is supposed to have had its 

 origin in Mexico. It loves a warm summer climate and a warm 

 porous soil and grows to perfection only in the presence of sun- 

 light and warmth. Corn is the richest gift of the new world to 

 mankind, and even with the adverse conditions under which it is 

 so often raised its value in America far exceeds that of any other 

 crop grown. 



Soil for Corn, 



Owing to the sub-tropical nature of the plant, that soil is best 

 suited for the growth of corn which is well drained, loose and 

 fairly porous but not leachy, A loamy soil with a clay subsoil 

 presents almost ideal conditions. The plowing should be so done 

 that the soil is well pulverized and the furrow slice left somewhat 

 on edge, not completely inverted. Where sod land is plowed the 

 jointer attachment should always be used that the tenacity of the 

 sod may be broken up. The placing of the furrow upon edge and 

 allowing it to remain for a few days before harrowing down gives 

 chance for aeration and warming, both of which are prime 

 requisites for success in corn raising. While a fairh' fine seed 

 bed is important, yet only so much harrowing as is necessary to 

 produce it should be given. In fitting the land for wheat the 

 sub-surface soil ma}'' be somewhat firmly compacted. A firm, 

 compact sub-surface soil and a loose surface mulch present the 

 ideal conditions for wheat, and the tramping and packing of the 

 horses feet may do as much or more good than the harrowing. But 

 with corn diSerent soil conditions are required, and unless necess- 

 ary in order to improve the texture of the soil, the fitting should 

 be somewhat superficial, for if much harrowing be done, this, with 



