12 



extensive areas may tend to correct some of the conditions in the 

 environment which are supposed to be favorable to the development 

 of malarial germs. That the plant itself, however, has any specific 

 influence upon malarial diseases is undoubtedly an illusion. 



SOIL AND CULTIVATION. 



By study of the reports which have been received from numerous 

 correspondents of the Divisions of Statistics and Chemistry in different 

 parts of the United States, it is found that sunflowers grow best, for 

 commercial purposes, in Kansas, Missouri, and the Ohio Valley. Many 

 other parts of the country, however, are found peculiarly suitable to 

 the growth of this plant. As a rule the soils which are best suited for 

 the growth of indian corn produce the best crops of sunflowers. If the 

 soil is not naturally fertile, liberal fertilization must be practiced in 

 order to secure large crops. The character of the fertilization depends 

 upon the nature of th'e soil and the deficiencies of plant foods therein. 

 The kind of fertilization necessary to produce a good crop of maize 

 will be found suitable to the sunflower. The soil should be prepared 

 by careful plowing, and the surface of the plowed soil should be reduced 

 to good tilth by the use of the harrow. Sunflowers are best planted 

 by a drill in rows from 3 to 3-J- feet apart. In order to secure a good 

 stand the seeds may be placed by the drill 2 or 3 inches apart; but 

 should they all grow, at least half of them should be cut out when the 

 plants are thinned. The seeds should be planted deep enough to secure 

 abundant moisture to germinate them; from 2 to 3 inches in depth, 

 where the soil is not too heavy, will be found the best. With heavy, 

 stiff soils, which are likely to become ver}^ hard on the surface after 

 heavy rains, it is better not to plant the seeds so deep. The seeds 

 should be planted as early as possible in the spring, as they endure very 

 well a slight degree of cold. After the plants are well formed they 

 should be thinned so as to stand at a distance of from 12 to 18 inches 

 in the row. The cultivation should be of the ordinary kind, mostly 

 superficial, and sufficient to prevent the weeds from growing and pre- 

 serve the moisture during periods of drought. Where the production 

 of seed is sought the best results are secured by limiting the number 

 of seed heads on each plant to a very few. The superfluous heads 

 when formed should be removed. No special directions need be given 

 for the cultivation, since it is so much like that of maize as to be 

 practically the same. 



HARVESTING SUNFLOWER SEED. 



The heads should be harvested before the seeds are quite ripe to 

 avoid shattering and loss. After drying the seeds can be thrashed 

 out and stored in bags in the usual way. The seeds may be beaten 

 out with a flail, but where large quantities are grown this is a tedious 



