204 SOUTHERN FIELD CROPS 



tight, preferably reenforcing it by folding a large grain Sheet ot 

 osnaburgs over the bottom, sides, and top. Place about three 

 pounds of carbon disulfide in shallow cans near the top of a 

 large load of unshucked corn, or a smaller amount in each load 

 of shucked corn. Such loads of fumigated corn should be placed 

 in separate and detached cribs to be kept as the last corn used 

 the next spring or summer. 



Keep lighted pipes and all lights away from carbon disulfide, 

 since the fumes are highly combustible. 



188. Yields of maize. The average corn crop of most 

 Southern States is below 20 bushels per acre. Yet indi- 

 vidual farms in the South sometimes average more than 

 50 bushels per acre. There are a number of authentic 

 records of yields of more than 100 bushels of corn per 

 acre made by Southern farmers on upland soil (Fig. 99). 



Two of the largest yields on record were made in the 

 South. These were 254 bushels and 49 pounds of shelled 

 corn (or " 239 bushels of crib-cured corn ") per acre, made 

 by Z. J. Drake in South Carolina (Kan. Board Agr., Dec., 

 1905, p. 208), and 226f bushels per acre obtained by 

 J. F. Batts in North Carolina in 1909. 



In the first case the manure, cotton-seed, and other 

 fertilizers cost about as much as the value of the corn at 

 the prices then prevailing. In the latter case also, very 

 large amounts of manure and fertilizer were employed. 



LABORATORY EXERCISES 



When practicable, students should spend several laboratory 

 periods in the field comparing different methods of harvesting, for 

 example : 



(1) Determine the proportion of the weight of the shucked ear 

 to the aggregate weight of shuck, leaves, and stalk, all thoroughly 

 air-dried. 



