CORN CULTURE 5 



off in fine grains just as the corn is silking. A particle of 

 pollen lodges on the tip of a silk, and a growth is carried 

 through the center of the tiny thread to its root, where the 

 kernel forms. The pollen in this way fertilises the silks, 

 one silk for each kernel of corn. If for any reason no 

 fertilization occurs, no kernels will be formed. 



The pollen grains are very light, and may be carried by 

 the wind for many rods, thus fertilizing the silks of other 

 plants than their own. This is called cross-fertilisation. 

 The reason different varieties of corn planted in near-by 

 fields mix is because the pollen is carried from one field 

 to the other. 



Have you ever seen an ear with part of the kernels 

 white and the rest red, or yellow? How is this to be ex- 

 plained ? A small patch of pop-corn planted near field corn 

 turned out to be badly mixed, although the seed used was 

 pure. How do you account for the mixture? 



2. Determining the Stand 



In order to raise a full yield of corn we must first of all 

 have a good stand. Corn is usually planted in rows about 

 three and a half feet apart each way. On good corn land 

 three stalks seem to make the best hill. It is plain that if 

 the hills have but one or two stalks each, or if whole hills 

 are frequently missing, there can not be a full crop. 



Importance of a good stand. Farmers often lose 

 much of their labor and a large amount of money because 

 of a poor stand of corn. It requires as much work to pre- 

 pare the ground and cultivate the corn for half or two- 

 thirds of a stand as if every hill was present and had its 

 three stalks. , 



How is it with the farms in your own neighborhood? 

 With your father's farm? What kind of a stand do the 



