236 AGRICULTURE OF MAIN^. 



chine, the number of grains in the hill will be more regular if 

 the grains are all of uniform size. Second, the tip grains may 

 not be mature, and on account of their smaller size, will not 

 furnish plant food material as freely to the growing plant in 

 its early life history as the better sized grain. We must bear 

 in mind that good, rugged, rapid growing plants in the early 

 part of the season are necessary for maturity and large yield. 



PLANTING. 



Information from various sources indicates that from three 

 to four grains of corn to the hill, when the corn is to be har- 

 vested for grain, gives better results when the corn is planted 

 about three feet apart in the row, with the rows three feet 

 apart. 



Where the corn is grown for ensilage, there should be the 

 same distance between the rows, while a little larger yield may 

 be secured by planting in drills, planting one grain to about 

 nine or ten inches in the row. In experiments a number of 

 years ago, the Maine Experiment Station secured greater re- 

 turns in the production of sweet corn, by planting the rows 

 three feet apart and the hill of single grains nine inches apart 

 in the row. The present practice at Highmoor Farm, where 

 the corn is planted in hills, is to plant in rows three feet apart, 

 and the hills from thirty-four to thirty-six inches in the row, 

 and three grains to the hill. 



CULTIVATION OF CORN. 



The two primary factors in the cultivation of corn are the 

 destruction of the weeds and the pulverizing of the soil, main- 

 taining a loose mulch on the surface to prevent the loss of water 

 by evaporation. The deep cultivation of the soil should take 

 place before planting. Many farmers desire also to cultivate 

 the corn the first time quite deeply but after that, a shallow 

 cultivation of from two to two and one-half inches in depth 

 is desirable and effective. Even before the corn is through the 

 ground, a thorough harrowing of the land, particularly if there 

 has been a preceding rain, is quite profitable. This will not 

 destroy the corn and will not displace the hill if carefully done. 

 After this a weeder or very light smoothing harrow can be 



