146 



PRODUCTIVE FARMING 



mulch on the field. If the weather conditions should be such 

 as to keep the cultivator out of the field too long at a time, 

 the ground will form a crust. Then it will be necessary to 

 make the cultivator teeth go deep enough to break up and 



pulverize the crust. But when 

 no crust is formed always keep 

 the shovels or teeth quite shal- 

 low (Fig. 78). 



Harvesting Seed Corn. 

 It pays the farmer well to select 

 his own seed corn. This is best 

 done in the fall, just before 

 frost and before harvesting 

 the main crop. Such ears are 

 selected as have the characters 

 described in the rules given, 

 pages 133-137. Pick out the 

 ones that are most mature; 

 they will be hanging downward. 

 Take them from stalks which 

 bear two or more good ears. 

 Storing Seed Corn. As soon as the ears are selected and 

 gathered the husks should be entirely removed from them. 

 Store the ears where the moisture will dry out well before 

 winter, and where mice will not attack them. A good way is 

 to tie the ears with cord hi such a way that they will not touch 

 each other and suspend each lot from a hook in the ceiling 

 where mice will not bother the corn. Corn may be stored on 

 sheets of finely woven wire netting which is tacked to the bare 

 rafters or joists of a dry room, as a shop or attic. If there are 

 vertical posts in the room, headless nails may be driven part 

 way into the posts; and then the large ends of the ears are 

 slipped over the nails (Fig. 79). 



Harvesting the Main Crop. To secure the best return 

 from the corn crop the harvesting should include not only 

 the ears but also the stalks. This should be done as soon as 



FIG. 78. Corn plants half grown, 

 showing the root system. Many small 

 fibrous feeding roots are only a few 

 inches under ground between the rows 

 of corn. Deep cultivation is likely to 

 destroy many of them. 



