70 AGRICULTURE FOR COMMON SCHOOLS 



four rows. Dr. Sturtevant also speaks of a variety which ma- 

 tures in one month in Paraguay, while seven months are re- 

 quired in some southern countries. The stalks and ears of 

 varieties raised in North Dakota and other northern states are 

 much smaller than those of varieties raised in the corn belt states. 



Soil for Corn. — Corn will grow in almost any soil that is 

 not too wet or too dry. It grows best, however, in a well- 

 drained loam soil rich in organic matter. Muck soils are apt 

 to be lacking in potash and have too much nitrogen to pro- 

 duce good solid corn. Sandy soils are likely to get too dry in 

 July and August for corn to grow well. Heavy clay soils are 

 too compact unless they are well drained and plenty of coarse 

 manure is used. 



Plowing and Preparing. — Land for corn may be plowed 

 in autumn or spring. If autumn plowed the supply of moist- 

 ure is apt to be better the following season. Spring plowing 

 should be done as early as possible in order to save moisture 

 and prevent the formation of a crust which will turn under 

 cloddy. The plowing should be well done so that the furrow- 

 slice is well pulverized. The land should then be thoroughly 

 harrowed with a spike-tooth harrow to level it and pulverize 

 the clods. If autumn plowed, the land will usually need to 

 be disked before harrowing. It can sometimes be worked up 

 by using a spring-tooth harrow. If land is too cloddy it 

 should be rolled or dragged. Dragging is better, if it will 

 crush the clods, because the drag does not pack the ground so 

 much as a roller. In either case the land should be harrowed 

 again soon to loosen the surface and prevent evaporation. 

 It is desirable to have the field dragged just before planting, 

 for then the planter can be driven straighter with more ease. 

 It will also do no harm to harrow just after planting. 



