THE CULTIVATION OF FARM CROPS. 53.3 



CORN (Maize). 



The soil for corn must be dry, rich and well pulveri/ed. Neither strong 

 clay, wet, or poor lands, will yield good crops of corn. Land can scarcely 

 be too rich for it, and the fresher and less fermented the manure applied 

 to it is, unless on light, sandy soils, the better it will be for the crop. A 

 great error is committed in raising corn, as with most of our tillage crops, 

 from not having the soil sufficiently enriched ; though this error is dimin- 

 ished in the case of such as will not bear an excess of manure. Corn is a 

 gross feeder, and necessarily ranges over a great space in search of food. 

 It has a large amount of stalk, leaves and grain to provide for in a few 

 weeks, and its increase will be commensurate with the supply of food. 



A clover lay, or rich grass sod is an excellent preparation for corn, with 

 the addition of manure when required. But the manure should always 

 be scattered broadcast, ploughed and well harrowed in. The roots will be 

 certain to find it, and in consequence of its general diffusion, the develop- 

 m'nt of the ear and grain will correspond with that of the stalk and leaves. 

 When manured in the hill, on poor soil, it comes forward earl}-, and this 

 induces an extension of the roots, which finding little support, the crop is 

 limited to the stalk and leaves, and a smaller proportion of grain. 



Corn may be planted in hills from three to four and one-half feet asun- 

 der, and from three to five stalks well spread in each hill, according to the 

 kind of seed, quality of land, etc. Some plant in drills, but this i^ objec- 

 tionable, as the trouble of cultivation is greater, without increasing the 

 yield. Thick planting gives fewer ears upon a stalk, and those of less 

 Tin- time of planting in the North is usually within the tlnve tirst 

 weeks of May, depending much on the season. Late frosts will sometimes 

 cut down tin; tit ! without destroying the germ, but it is alw, 



to d'-ft-r planting till all apprehensions of it are removed. In the 

 South earlier pljintin^ U desirable, and it is there put into the ground in 

 eh and April. To ;/ivr regularity to tin- rOW8 and facilitate after-ciil 

 , th' furrows f>r the seed should he struck out eaeli way with the 

 utu sand twice the corn planted that is re.|iiiivd to n-main. 



It should I.-- OOVered al.out two inches. The surplus plants can 1-e pulled 

 up at tl. i ho.-'mir. when all fear of injury U pnM. If the Ian 



f. it should ! laid flat before planting, and after this it should 1-e 

 thoroughly rolled. < 'orn-].Iantin.u r implements, by hand and horse pov, 

 have lat.-iy been in' advant.i the old way >f hand 



and hoe plant 



