THE GRAINS 147 



near the roots of the plant to the drying action of 

 wind and sun. There are times, however, when a 

 newly planted field has been deluged by long-continued 

 cold rains, that this old treatment is clearly indicated 

 as the best means of warming and drying the soil. 

 The furrows should be filled, however, as soon as this 

 purpose has been accomplished. 



Harvesting. — In the corn belt proper on those 

 farms where this is the principal money crop it is 

 usually only the grain which is utilized, the stalks 

 and leaves being allowed to go to waste in the field. 

 When the corn is fully dry, wagons are driven into 

 the field ; the ears are husked by hand as they stand 

 on the stalks and are thrown in the wagon. When 

 this is full, it is driven to the cribs where the ears 

 are temporarily stored or direct to the corn sheller. 

 When shelled, the corn is shipped in bulk to eleva- 

 tors, where it is stored, or it may be sacked for retail 

 shipment. 



In the South corn is usually only grown as a sub- 

 sidiary crop for home use in the feeding of animals. 

 Since the stalks and leaves if properly harvested 

 contain, roughly speaking, as much stock food as the 

 ears, it becomes a matter of considerable importance 

 to see that they are properly utilized. It is a com- 

 mon practice in many parts of the South to strip the 

 leaves from the stalks at the time that the corn is 

 beginning to harden. These " blades," as they are 

 called, are tied in bundles and, when dry, are carefully 

 housed and make most excellent feed for horses and 

 mules. They are a great resource for the small 

 farmer of the South. Stripping the blades requires 



