CORN. 153 



tion, I failed to find a stalk injured, and there was no more trou- 

 ble. We ran out of the mixture and left a half acre on which 

 we did not apply it. On this the worms worked for some time, 

 and the crop was cut short fully one-half." The gentleman fur- 

 ther stated that his corn was some days earlier on the part to 

 which the mixture was applied, and that he thought it paid 

 largely as a fertilizer in addition to saving his crop from the cut 

 worm. The remedy is so cheap and easily applied that I would 

 recommend that it be thoroughly tested. 



Preparation of Soil. I believe in thorough preparation of 

 the soil for corn, but soils and seasons vary so much that 

 there are no rules to be laid down. There was a time when 

 the motto 



"Plow deep while sluggards sleep, 



And you shall have corn to sell and keep," 



was considered profound wisdom, but most intelligent farmers 

 now know that there are soils which would be permanently in- 

 jured by deep plowing, and that good judgment must be used 

 in this as in other matters pertaining .to the farm. I advocate 

 deep plowing on soils which are deep, but I would expect a 

 better crop from six inches well pulverized than from eight or 

 ten inches imperfectly prepared. 



Both experience and observation lead me to favor fall plow- 

 ing for corn on a well-drained soil, and especially where there is 

 much vegetable matter to turn under. I would not rebreak this 

 fall-plowed-land in the spring, even though it becomes packed 

 so as to be quite hard, but would mellow it from the surface 

 with the best implements I could command. The slicing and cut- 

 ting harrows, such as the " Randall Disk," and the " Acme," are 

 admirable for this purpose, but before I had these I used the two- 

 horse cultivator to break the crust and loosen the surface, and 

 then followed with the heavy Scotch harrow. If I do not plow 

 in the fall I want to do it as early in the spring as the land is 

 dry enough. I can make a seed bed for corn that suits me much 

 better after the land has been settled by rains than if fresh 

 plowed. If I am delayed and must break the land late and 

 plant on fresh plowed land, I never allow it to become dry and 



