XIV. 



IMAIZE. 



CULTURAL METHODS (CONCLUDED). 



305. Planting in Hills or Drills. — The Indian method of 

 planting maize was to plant four grains in a hill four feet each 

 way. This method they 

 taught to the colonists. 

 The usual method in the 

 North Atlantic States is 

 to plant in drills ; in the 

 North Central States the 

 practice is divided, but 

 the larger part is planted 

 in hills ; in the Southern 

 States it is usually planted 

 in hills on the low level 

 lands, while on hill lands 

 the maize is drilled, in 

 order that all cultivation 

 may be at right angles 

 to the slope of the hill, 

 and thus prevent wash- 

 ing. The chief reason 

 why maize is planted in 

 drills in the North At- 

 lantic States is that on 

 account of the uneven- 

 ness of the surface the 

 check rowing planters do 

 not readily check straight 



Two-row maize planter ; seed can be planted either In 

 hills or drills. Below on the left is shown a disk in 

 place of shoe as a furrow opener. On the right are 

 two forms of rotary plates for dropping the seed. In 

 the form on the right the number of grains dropped 

 at one time depends upon the size of the holes in the 

 plate ; in the form shown m the center, the fact that 

 grains of maize are all practically the same thickness, 

 no matter how much they vary in length and width. 

 is taken advantage of to select the grains singly, the 

 number per hill depending upon the rate at which 

 the plate revolves. 



