15 



Seeding in Corn. 

 Among the various methods which the writei* has tried for seeding 

 to grass and clover, he has found the system of sowing in growing 

 corn at the time of the last cultivation, usually from July 20 to 

 August 5, to give most satisfactory results. The culture of the corn 

 must be level, and it must be kept free from weeds. Just previous 

 to sowing the seed a spike-tooth cultivator should be used, which 

 will leave the surface fine and mellow. The quantity of seed used 

 should be rather larger than may be required when it is sown alone, 

 as a i)art of it fails to reach the ground, being caught and retained 

 by the broad leaves of the corn. Dog-day weather should be selected 

 for sowing the seed; and if it can be scattered upon the freshly 

 cultivated surface just before the heavy showers which occur so 

 frequently during dog-days, the seed will need no covering, and 

 will often have germinated within forty-eight hours from the time 

 of sowing. The shade of the corn crop is favorable to the retention 

 of moisture, and on all except the driest soils there will be moisture 

 enough to keep the young plants growing. The corn jirotects from 

 the sun, but does not crowd. It is not likely to lodge and stifle the 

 young grass, as a crop of small grain so often does. It is pref- 

 erable that the seeding be done in a crop of corn destined for the 

 silo. This being cai'ried from the field at once, the grass has the most 

 favorable time of the year to spread and gather strength for the 

 winter. If the corn is grown for gi-ain and must be stooked, there 

 is no great difficulty; but the young plants will be killed where the 

 stooks stand, and these spots must be reseeded either late in autumn 

 or early the following spring. Grass and clover sown in accordance 

 with the method just described become fully established before win- 

 ter, and are less liable to injury than when sown later. They be- 

 come sufficiently strong to give a full crop the following year. It 

 is best that the corn be cut low, and the field should be rolled the 

 following spring as soon as it becomes sufficiently firm not to be cut 

 up by horses. Rolling at that time breaks down the corn stubble, 

 which is then brittle, and it will be noticed in the hay to a less 

 extent even than is the stubble of a small grain,'' 



When land is seeded in corn, the work must be done hy 

 hand ; but if the field is clear, there are a number of ma- 

 chines which will do satisfactory work. Machines of the 

 type of Gaboon's broadcast seed sower will put in any of 

 the seed mixtures which have been given. One objection 

 to machines of this class is the fact that the seed is thrown 



' Brooks's "Agriculture," Vol. II., p. 426. 



