194 



CORN 



An ordinary team can easily cultivate two rows at a time with a 

 light cultivator. If cover crops are to occupy the field after the 

 corn is harvested the field may need to be given extra cultivation 

 once or twice to make a good seed bed for the cover crop. This is 

 usually done after the corn is in tassel. 



Machines for cultivating corn are of many kinds. In some 

 sections the old-fashioned two-shovel cultivator is still in use, but 

 better forms are rapidly replacing them. Small-tooth cultivators 

 with about fourteen teeth are becoming popular, as they cultivate 

 an entire middle and are drawn by one animal. The same is true 

 of some of the spring-tooth cultivators. Two-horse machines are 



FIG 135. The corn busker and shredder removes the ears and carries them to the 

 rear where they may be caught in a wagon box. It shreds fodder very fine and blows it 

 into a suitable storage place. Any corn shelled may be caught in bags, as shown. (I._H. Co.) 



arranged for cultivating two sides of a row at once, but some cul- 

 tivate the entire middle and also two sides of the two adjacent 

 rows. Thus two entire rows are cultivated at once. 



The chief features to be remembered in choosing a cultivator 

 are that it shall have small shovels or teeth and have a number of 

 them. This makes the draft light; the work is rapid; frequent 

 cultivation is possible; a crust is not allowed to form on the soil, 

 and tillage may therefore be shallow; the roots are not injured, 

 and the growing crop thrives better. 



Harvesting. There are several methods of harvesting the 

 corn crop. In the central corn states the most common practice 

 is to husk the ears from the standing stalks and store them in 



