THE IE El G ATI ON AGE. 



201 



very far in wagons they should be packed 

 tightly in the bed and the wagon have 

 springs to prevent too much brusing. A 

 little over-ripeness may result in spoiling 

 a box for market. It is necessary that 

 every specimen be solid when picked and 

 placed in the box. The surplus if any 

 after all the markets have been supplied 

 may be evaporated, canned made into jel- 

 lies or even into peach brandy, all of which 

 finds a ready sale on every market. 



The peach tree has several enemies 

 and must be cared for or it will soon be- 

 come unprofitable. The orchard should be 

 cleanly cultivated every year for at least 

 six seasons after planting. Such crops as 

 peas, hairy vetch, red clover and similar 

 food collecting plants are food for the peach. 

 The crops are harvested and weeds and 

 objectionable plants are kept down. The 

 San Jose scale may be killed by spraying 

 with a mixture prepared expressly for that 

 purpose. The borers and yellows are treat- 

 ed by special means that may be obtained 

 from any books necessary for guidance in 

 his work before planting a commercial 

 orchard. 



JOEL SHOEMAKER. 



PREPARING CORN FOR PLANTING. 



A. S. McCallen. writes in Orange Judd 

 Farmer. "The belief that anybody can 

 grow corn is a fallacy and I have witnessed 

 efforts almost as primitive as those of the 

 Indians, who plowed the ground, with a 

 stick and left the crop to be taken care of 

 by nature. Any yield of corn less than 30 

 bu per acre is poor, 30 to 50 bu is fair, 

 and 50 to 70 bu is only good, while 60 to 

 100 bu is easily possible. To obtain a good 

 yield with favorable climatic conditions, 

 the following must be well understood and 

 intelligently treated: Soil, preparation of 

 seed bed, seed planting and cultivation, I 

 will try to present briefly the correct ele- 

 mentary knowledge, derived from my own 

 experience and the experience of others, 



upon all these subjects but the last, reserv- 

 ing that for a later article. 



Corn is one crop that cannot be overfed. 

 The plant is a great feeder and will not 

 thrive where only quack grass and bull 

 nettles flourish. If your land is poor don't 

 plant it in corn with the idea of building 

 it up. Soil that is too poor to grow a fair 

 crop of potatoes should never be planted to 

 corn unless in the course of crop rotation 

 to prepare for some other crops which may 

 build up the soil. 



When to plow for corn will depend upon 

 the kind of land. If it is sod land or new 

 land that has never been plowed, it is bet- 

 ter to plow it during the fall or early winter, 

 than prepare for planting with disk or pul- 

 verizing harrow. Replowing in the spring, 

 fall or winter plowed land would give best 

 results. With any other kind of land 

 start the plow as early in April as the soil 

 is in prime condition for plowing, which is 

 when the particles are dry enough to 

 separate readily under the pressure of turn- 

 ing the furrow. Never plow when the soil 

 is wet and sticky. It is better to be a few 

 days or weeks later in the planting than to 

 plow the land wet. 



Lay off the land with a view to drain- 

 age and ease in doing the work. If the 

 fields are rolling, so that open furrows are 

 not necessary for drainage, make but few 

 and fill these in harrowing. 



Plow deep while the sluggard sleeps, and 

 you shall have corn to sell and to keep, is 

 a good rule for the corn grower. Most 

 soils should be plowed six to eight inches 

 deep. The object is to form a deep bed of 

 loose earth in which the roots of the corn 

 may feed and obtain moisture during the 

 season of growth. It is important that the 

 plowing should be well done. Cut no more 

 soil than the plow will turn and have the 

 furrows clean and straight. Put every 

 thing on the surface out of sight. 



Harrow, drag, or otherwise pulverize the 

 surface when dry enough to work well 

 without sticking, and do not be satisfie 



