1 8 BROOM-CORN CULTURE 



ous task, and frequently takes more time than would 

 be required to plant the field a second time in event 

 of a partial failure of the seed of the first planting. 

 The best practice is to plant the exact quantity of 

 good seed ; then, if conditions are such that a good 

 stand is not secured, the entire field can be culti- 

 vated, harrowed and planted again. On heavy clay 

 soils the seed should be covered to a depth of one- 

 half inch, but on light sandy loams one inch of soil 

 over the seed will do no harm. 



Care should be taken to have a sufficient amount 

 of moisture in the surface soil at planting time to 

 insure prompt germination. It is sometimes advis- 

 able to roll the ground after planting to bring the 

 soil in close contact with the seed and to induce the 

 movement of the moisture from the subsoil up into 

 the seedbed. 



Cultivation. Cultivation must be commenced 

 early and repeated frequently, to prevent weeds 

 from getting the start of the slow-growing young 

 plants. As hoeing and hand weeding are too ex- 

 pensive, large weeders, harrows, and very narrow- 

 shoveled cultivators, with fenders to keep the soil 

 off the plants, are employed until the plants attain 

 a height of about a foot, after which they grow rap- 

 idly and will thrive with the same cultivation as does 

 corn. Many find it advisable to harrow lengthwise 

 with the rows with a sharp-toothed harrow just as 

 the plants are coming up. With a wide harrow and 

 plenty of horse-power this operation is quickly 

 accomplished. 



The plants will probably be large enough to per- 



