CHAPTEK XIV. 



INDIAN CORN. 



Coltnre, — The time and depth at which to pre- 

 pare the seed-bed will vary with the soil, climate, the 

 particular season and, in some instances, with the pre- 

 vious crop grown on the land. In general, fall plow- 

 ing is advisable. When plowing in the spring there 

 is a practice, which seems to be a good one, of plow- 

 ing immediately before planting. The land is plowed, 

 immediately dragged and rolled, and then harrowed 

 and planted while the surface is still fresh and moist. 

 When the plowing is done earlier in the spring the 

 surface becomes hard and it requires more labor to 

 get a good seed-bed than when the plowing is done 

 later. It is a question of labor merely. The main 

 point is to get a deep, well pulverized seed-bed. The 

 more well directed labor there is put on the seed- bed 

 before planting the better. 



Corn will sprout at 47 degrees Fahrenheit. It will 

 grow and produce chlorophyll at 54 degrees Fahren- 

 heit. It will grow more readily as the temperature 

 increases up to, at least, 80 Fahrenheit; but Sachs 

 ^vesllo degrees Fahrenheit as the highest tem- 

 perature at which corn will sprout. The soil 

 should be at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit at the depth 

 of planting before the corn is planted. But it is not 

 enough to consult the thermometer. The almanac 

 should also be consulted. A change in the weather 

 may follow even after the temperature of the soil is 

 at 60 degrees Fanronheit. The old Indian sign, which 



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