CORN GROWERS ASSOCIATION. jy 



Mr. : I have found in the past seven years of my ex- 

 perience that corn can easily be cared for either by holding it a week 

 or having it placed in shocks ; it will keep. I have rotated for the most 

 part with four-year rotations, following corn stubble with wheat. I 

 only use corn on the same land one year at a time; and owing to the 

 fact that in past years it has been very difficult to get help to cut 

 my corn by hand, I have bought a binder; was very much dissatisfied 

 with the work at first, but after becoming acquainted with it and 

 understanding better how to handle it and regulate the size of bundles, 

 and taking into consideration the fact that I cut my corn in such a way 

 that the stubble is mostly out of the way in preparing the land for 

 wheat, I concluded it was the cheapest way in which I could remove the 

 ■corn for the purpose of sowing wheat. It is true that some ears are 

 knocked off once in awhile, but they are gathered and fed at once. 



Mr. : How many bushels to the acre do you knock off ? 



Mr. : If corn is taken too green, a great deal is knocked 



off, but if it is just right, it would probably knock off from three to 

 four bushels. That was my experience. I have been following this 

 four-year rotation ever since 1881 ; the first time I knew of it in the 

 spring I put in a crop of oats. After that time I did not attempt to 

 sow oats after corn stubble, except in a very limited way. I follow my 

 corn stubble with wheat and sow timothy and clover in the spring. I 

 tiever have used any fertilizers. Have had crops of wheat all the way 

 from practically nothing up to 40 odd bushels to the acre. I find that 

 much depends on the character of the preparation of the soil. I never 

 plow my corn stubble. I always disk it thoroughly, and after I am 

 through (unlike a great many of the farmers) I always harrow; and I 

 have experimented along that line and think I see an advantage in 

 harrowing after the drill. 



Mr. Sly : Some farmers think it cheaper to cut by hand than with 

 harvester. I think the corn harvester is away ahead. It is not always 

 the expense you must consider. It is the condition you get it done 

 in. With the harvester you can cut it in a few days, when by hand 

 it will take so long you can not get it done in as good condition.. The 

 plan Mr. Laughlin spoke of could not be used in our part of the State 

 because, unless you put up very large shocks, the snow blows in that 

 open space in the winter. 



