FAEMEKS" INSTITUTES. 811 



nature in improving the soil by growing- and plowing under leguminous 

 plants which will fill the ground full of humous which will loosen the soil. 

 Therefore, I should prefer a clover sod for corn. First take and disk the 

 soil good, so as to cut up all vegetation and to preserve moisture. Plow 

 in spring when ground is dry. As to time, according to amount to be 

 plowed. If small crop and plenty of labor wait a little later in the 

 spring than if you had a large crop and less labor. Plow six inches deep 

 and always use jointer. Always keep the plowed ground harrowed 

 up with the breaking, to save moisture. In preparing the seed bed put 

 plenty of time on it, for here is where we can greatly benefit our corn 

 crop. Get it as fine as possible, which will aid in holding moisture as 

 well as making more plant food available. As soon as the ground is 

 warm enough in the spring, drill your corn from 14 to 16 inches, 

 according to the soil and seed. Plant in furrow as deep as possible not 

 to' molest the trash you turned under, for instance, about half way in 

 the seed bed. Then cover the corn from one to three inches deep accord- 

 ing to soil and moisture, genei'ally about one and one-half inches deep. 

 If it rains before corn comes up, harrow or use weeder the same way 

 the rows run and roll in a little dirt so as to get rid of the crust; this 

 will also help hold moisture and make crust soft so corn can come up 

 easy. When corn comes up use haiTow or weeder same way rows run, 

 and be careful not to fill the harrow very fast. Cultivate shallow with 

 small shovels if the ground is full of humerous; if not, use large shovel 

 and plow deep for the first time or so. Then plow shallow, as the roots 

 are getting near the surface, and keep the ground level and fine on top 

 so as to make a blanket to preserve moisture. After corn gets past 

 plowing with a cultivator should a rain come and the wind does not blow 

 the corn down you should break the crust and form a mulch about two 

 inches deep to hold the moisture. Use a small-toothed cultivator. How 

 many times the corn is to be plowed is according to the season. It 

 should be cultivated often enough to keep the weeds down and maintain 

 the mulch to hold the moisture. Should a heavy soaking rain come, we 

 should plow deep to loosen the soil and dry it out, as a hard soil will not 

 hold moisture, but this cultivation should be followed up as soon as the 

 soil is dried a little with a shallow cultivator. It is all a mistake about 

 plowing to hold moisture when it is dry weather, if you have the proper 

 mulch. Of course we should cultivate enough to keep the weeds down. 

 Should you allow your ground to pack and brake so that it will plow 

 up in large clods when you attempt to cultivate it it will do the crop 

 more injury to cultivate this ground than to leave it alone. 



Now, brother farmers, there are three things Trithin our power if 

 we own the land: First, to have grood stoil: second, to havf' good se«d: 

 third, to give proper cultivation. 



