26 



CORN 



Testing the Planter. The corn should be run through 

 a corn grader before planting, or ears having the same 

 width of kernels should be selected before shelling so that 

 the planter can handle the kernels in a uniform manner. 

 The planter should be tested in order to secure the proper 

 planter plate to drop the desired number of kernels to the 

 hill. In the Northern States the aim is to get 4 kernels 



Fig. 12. Above, two types of planter plates. Below, uniform kernels of corn at 

 left ; irregular tipped kernels in the middle ; irregular butt kernels at right. 



in each hill. Farther south 3 kernels are preferred. If 3 

 kernels are placed in a hill, and the hills are placed 3! feet 

 apart, there will be 10,668 stalks per acre if each kernel 

 grows and produces a plant. 



The butt and tip kernels should be rejected from the ears 

 as they are not regular in size and do not germinate uni- 

 formly. Corn cannot be planted evenly if the butt and 



