METHOD OF PLANTING CORN. 145 



upon the state of fertility of the land, the character of the season, 

 especially whether it is a wet or dry season, as well as other fac- 

 tors, hence no absolute rule can be given as to the best thickness 

 of planting corn for the silo. Numerous experiments conducted in 

 different parts of the country have shown, however, that the 

 largest quantities of green fodder per acre can ordinarily be ob- 

 tained by planting the corn in hills three or even two feet apart, 

 or in drills three or four feet apart, with plants six or eight inches 

 apart in the row. ^ 



It makes little if any difference, so far as the yield obtained is 

 concerned, whether the corn is planted in hills or in drills, when 

 the land is kept free from weeds in both cases, but it facilitates 

 the cutting considerably to plant the corn in drills if this is done 

 by means of a corn harvester or sled cutter, as is now generally 

 the case. The yield seems more dependent on the number of plants 

 grown on a certain area of land than on the arrangement of plant- 

 ing the corn. Hills four feet each way, with four stalks to the 

 hill, will thus usually give about the same yield as hills two feet 

 apart, with stalks two stalks to the hill or drills four feet apart 

 with stalks one foot apart in the row, etc. The question of plant- 

 ing corn in hills or in drills is therefore largely one of greater or 

 less labor in keeping the land free from weeds by the two methods. 

 This will depend on the character of the land; where the land is 

 uneven, and check-rowing of the corn difficult, or when the land 

 is free from weeds, drill planting is preferable, while, conversely, 

 on fields where this can be done, the corn may more easily and 

 cheaply be kept free from weeds if planted in hills and check- 

 rowed. Since one of the advantages of the silo is economical pro- 

 duction and preservation of a good quality of feed, the economy 

 and certainty in caring for the growing crop is of considerable 

 importance, and generally planting in hills not too far apart will 

 be found to facilitate this, especially during wet season. 



Corn is planted in hills or in drills, and not broadcast, whether 

 intended for the silo, or for production of ear corn; when sown 

 broadcast, the corn cannot be kept free from weeds, except by 

 hand labor. More seed is moreover required, the plants shade each 

 other and will therefore not reach full development, from lack of 

 sufficient sunshine and moisture, and a less amount of available 

 food constituents per acre will be produced. 



