42 THE SEED-GROWER. 



General culture for seed corn is the same as for a crop 

 of corn for ordinary purposes. 



In northern Atlantic latitudes, early sugar corn is 

 sown from May 10th to 30th; late varieties, from May 

 1st to 15th; field sorts from May 1st to 20th. Sugar 

 com should not be planted over one-half to two-thirds 

 the depth required for field corn. 



In harvesting both sugar and field corn, the cut 

 stalks are bound in small shocks. But it is not really 

 necessary to do this with sugar corn, unless shocks are 

 made very small with an open space in the centre, 

 formed by tying the tops of four hills together and then 

 shocking around them. It is better not to cut sugar 

 corn too green, but ears should be allowed to mature 

 fully on the stalk. Sorting should be done carefully at 

 time of husking, rejecting ears which are imperfect or 

 impure. 



Drying and Shelling. Drying should be done 

 naturally, never artificially. The usual manner is on 

 barn scaffolds, which are made of narrow boards placed 

 as far apart as possible; these scaffolds being arranged 

 in tiers, one above another, with as much air as possi- 

 ble given through open doors and windows. With 

 some growers the practice is to bring the corn from the 

 field in one-bushel crates; a rope with two hooks being 

 let down to the wagon and the crate drawn up to the 

 scaffold by men. 



The time required for drying varies much, as in some 

 seasons stalks are greener than in others; some autumns 

 being damper than others. 



Shelling is not done until corn is dry enough to store 

 and keep in bulk. Those who grow for commercial trade 

 shell the ears without taking any grains from butt or 

 tip; shelling by machine just as grown, except that black 



