CULTIVATION OF CORN. 287 



My way of preparing the ground, and putting in a crop 

 of corn is, in the first place to break my last year's stalks when 

 the ground is frozen, after the cattle have taken all they will 

 of them. Then, when the ground has come to a proper con- 

 dition for plowing in the Spring, I harrow, turning the stalks 

 across the way I intend to plow, if I am using a riding plow, 

 which cuts them with its rolling cutter. If using a walk- 

 ing plow, then I harrow just as I intend to plow. After 

 plowing, I cross harrow, and then run the harrow the same 

 way it was plowed, which is the way I plant, and I want 

 the corn stalks that are on the surface, turned the way I 

 run the planter. Then, if the ground is not as smooth as I 

 wish, I put on the roller. As a sign for the right time to 

 plant, I regard the oak buds as the most reliable, as when the 

 ground is warm enough to start them, it must be warm enough 

 to bring up the corn. I drill all my corn ; have done so for 

 ten or twelve j^ears. My seed corn I select early in Septem- 

 ber, before all the corn is out of the milk, thus getting the 

 earliest ripening. I hang this up on the same day it is picked 

 in a dry place, where the air can circulate through it. I then 

 feel sure it will grow, if it is not planted before the ground is 

 ready for it. Two and a half or three inches is about the 

 right depth to plant. 



I CULTIVATE 



my corn as follows : After planting I take my corn plows and 

 cultivate the ground, using the planter mark as a guide to 

 keep from moving the corn. This is a great gain over the 

 old and common way of leaving the ground till the first 

 tending of corn without any other stirring than the harrow 

 can give it. By this method I stir the ground up deeper than 

 I can at any time after, and clear the way for the first tending, 

 which is the most difficult, as well as the most important of 

 all the tendings. I throw the clods and stubs (which make 

 it so difficult to plow close to the corn, and not cover it) 

 to the surface, where they can be broken up by the harrowing 

 that I now give the ground. I keep the big harrows going 



