270 DRY LAND FARMING, 



of high latitude or altitude. For the combined purpose 

 the chief aim sought in growing it will be fodder. But 

 the more grain 'that it will grow in addition to the fod- 

 der, the more valuable will it be. For the grain only or 

 mainly, it will be grown to provide food for swine that 

 will harvest it in the field, and in some instances, in the 

 more favorable locations, the ears will be snapped from 

 the standing crop as is done in the corn belt. For the 

 fodder and grain combined, it may be grown in paying 

 quantities in the most northerly sections of the United 

 States, up to the elevation of 4,000 to 4,500 feet. Farther 

 south it may be grown at an altitude higher in propor- 

 tion as it is farther south. The area devoted to the grow- 

 ing of corn in the near future will probably be second 

 only to that devoted to the growth of wheat. 



Soils. Corn will grow on any soil well adapted to 

 wheat. -This means that it will grow under proper con- 

 ditions on nearly all the bench lands of the semi-arid 

 west, save on lands that are impregnated with alkali. It 

 will also grow on lands which contain a quantity of 

 humus in excess of the need of the wheat crop. The 

 soils with highest adaptation for the growth of corn are 

 rich, friable loams. Sandy loams are even better adapted 

 relatively to the growth of corn than to the growth of 

 wheat. Stiff clays, leachy gravels and alkali lands are 

 ill adapted to the growth of this plant. 



Place in the rotation. Corn may be given any place 

 in the rotation. Generally speaking, however, it would 

 not be wise to grow corn on summer-fallowed land or 

 after a cultivated crop, as ground thus prepared is usually 

 wanted in order to grow upon it crops of small grain. It 

 is one of the best crops to grow on sod land, whether 

 new breaking or sod formed by tame grasses or by clo- 

 vers, including alfalfa. It is also one of the safest crops 

 to grow after small grain. There are conditions, doubt- 

 less, in which the moisture supply may be too small 



