100 



PHILIPPINE AGRICULTURE 



regularly with a seed drill that the latter method is the 

 cheaper. 



The depth to which the grain should be planted de- 

 pends upon the wetness of the soil, and the weather. 



When conditions are as they 

 should be, it will germinate 

 well and grow if planted 8 cm 

 deep. In wet soil the plant- 

 ing should be shallower. If 

 in very wet soil, the grain 

 w r ill germinate best if planted 

 only 2 cm deep ; but maize 

 so shallowly planted will not 

 grow well. Therefore, it is 

 best not to 'plant at all when 

 the soil is very wet. 



Hills. Maize is planted 

 either in hills or drills. A hill 

 is made up of several plants 

 in a group ; it should be perfectly level with the rest of 

 the ground, at the time of planting. When the seed is 

 planted in hills on fairly good ground, the hills should 

 be i meter apart. There should be 3 plants in each 

 hill ; so pull out all plants above that number, letting the 

 best ones stand. On poor ground, it may be better to 

 put the hills farther apart; and on very rich ground there 

 may be 4 plants in a hill. The hills should be in straight 

 rows in both directions, if the land is level. If the land 

 is very sloping, the hills should be in rows which keep 



FIG. 76. Maize in the Philippine Nor- 

 mal School garden cultivated 



