FEEDING THE PLANT 113 



will not plow down early enough, and should hot, dry 

 weather follow, the young corn plant will not be able 

 to obtain sufficient moisture ; the mass of organic vege- 

 table matter plowed down prevents the water connec- 

 tion between the surface and subsoil, the surface thus 

 becomes so dry as to injure the crop. Should the 

 weather be very warm and moist, then the very rapid 

 fermentation of so large a mass of vegetable matter 

 may also be injurious. 



In any case, or all cases, however, injury of this 

 character may be obviated by the occasional dressing 

 with lime, and where considerable amounts of vege- 

 table matter are added, either directly as farm manure, 

 or indirectly, as green manure, it is a very desirable 

 practice, as already pointed out, to lime at least once in 

 five or eight years, at the rate of twenty to twenty-five 

 bushels per acre; the lime neutralizing the acidity de- 

 veloped by the too rapid fermentation of the vegetable 

 matter, besides encouraging the development and 

 growth of bacteria, whose influence in improving soil 

 conditions is very marked. In case of crops like cow- 

 peas, which make their growth in the season preceding 

 the planting, injury to soil is not to be feared. 



MANURES FOR SWEET CORN 



The growing of sweet corn for the market is a 

 very considerable industry in many states, and its 

 proper fertilization is an important matter. The most 

 profitable crops, as a rule, are those that are grown 

 early. Hence, the fertilization should be such as to en- 

 courage a very rapid early growth. That is, corn should 

 be ready for market from a month to six weeks earlier 

 than is the case where planted at the usual time, and 

 grown under ordinary conditions. It is necessary, there- 

 fore, that the plant should have an abundance, not only 



