420 FIELD AND GARDEN PRODUCTS 



facilitates cultivation and the latter provides for a more equal dis- 

 tribution of roots throughout the soil. Checkrowers are best adapted 

 to large and comparatively level fields free from trees or stumps. Hill- 

 sides and sloping ground can not be planted in checks without in- 

 creasing the liability to soil washing. 



Some successful growers of corn have found it profitable to use 

 a two-row marker set the same width as their checkrower. The 

 checkrower follows in the deep furrows, thus accomplishing all the 

 advantages of both listing and checking. 



The distances between rows and the stalks or hills in the rows 

 affect to a great extent the production per acre. A proper number of 

 stalks evenly distributed, so that none will suffer from crowding and 

 so that there will be enough to produce the greatest number of well- 

 formed ears, constitutes the best stand for the production of ear corn. 

 If planted thicker than this the weight of stover increases and the pro- 

 duction of good ears decreases. If planted thinner the weight of 

 stover, as well as of ears, decreases. Small-growing varieties should 

 be planted thicker than varieties producing tall stalks. 



The distance for planting in a particular soil should be decided 

 upon and the planter adjusted to plant accurately and regularly. 

 Spots missed by the planter, -as well as those depleted by crows, in- 

 sects, etc., greatly decrease the yield per acre. The custom of plant- 

 ing many times thicker than the stand of stalks desired is not a good 

 one. It is a waste of seed and also of labor to thin or "chop out." 

 If the seed germinates poorly it should not be planted, for although 

 a stand may be obtained by very thick planting the stalks will not 

 be thrifty, and a reduced yield will result from using the poor seed. 

 If the seed shows a germination of 97 per cent or more in a thorough 

 germination test, and it is then properly planted, the stand will be 

 almost perfect, unless very adverse weatner ensues, in which case all 

 the plants will be so injured that the planting of the entire field again 

 will be preferable to replanting the missing hills and will be more 

 easily accomplished. It is not only a waste of land to have missing 

 hills in a cornfield, but also a waste of labor in cultivating them. If 

 a field has been drilled in but one direction and for any reason a 

 poor stand is obtained, it can be replanted with a checkrower set to 

 drop one kernel at a time and operated without the tripping chain. 

 The checkrower is driven at right angles to the rows of the first plant- 

 ing and is operated so as to plant just as it crosses each row. For this 

 purpose two men will be required, one to drive and one to trip the 

 checkrower as it crosses the corn rows. 



IMPORTANCE OF THOROUGH EARLY CULTIVATION. 



The most successful corn growers realize the importance of thor- 

 ough early cultivation, thus preventing any check in the growth of 

 the plants because of weeds or crusted soil. The farmer should see 

 that, from the time of germination to the maturing of the corn, 

 the plants are not subjected to any unfavorable conditions, but are 

 given an opportunity to make a steady, vigorous growth. If their 

 development is checked from any cause they will never fully re- 

 cover, no matter how favorable the later treatment. As a conse- 



