GROWING CULTIVATED CROPS IN DRY AREAS 277 



corn. When weeds are abundant, the cultivation and 

 therefore destruction of weeds will be more complete 

 when it is planted in hills. The retention of soil mois- 

 ture may also be secured in larger degree, since a rela- 

 tively larger area of the surface is stirred when cultiva- 

 tion can be given more than one way, which is the case 

 in hill planting. When the corn is planted to produce 

 ears mainly, it is usually planted in hills, but may also be 

 planted in drills. When it is grown chiefly for fodder, it 

 is usually planted in drills, because of the greater facility 

 with which it may be harvested with the corn harvester, 

 but it may also be planted in hills. When planted in drills, 

 the grain drill may usually be made to do the work with- 

 out investment in other machinery, and this fact furnishes 

 a strong argument in favor of drill planting. When 

 corn is to be followed by winter wheat or winter rye, the 

 stalks or a portion of them being left to protect the 

 grain in winter, the corn that has been grown in drills 

 will furnish the most complete protection. 



When planted in hills, the use of the check-rower 

 is indispensable where large areas are to be grown. 

 vSmall areas may be planted with the hand planter, after 

 the ground has first been marked off in squares with some 

 kind of marker. The hills are usually made 3^ feet apart 

 each way. When planted in drills the ordinary grain 

 drill is commonly used, but the horse corn-planter may 

 also be used. Only those drill tubes should be used which 

 will plant the corn at a suitable distance between the 

 rows. The distance most in favor is 8^2 feet, as in the 

 case of hills. In dry areas and especially in the north- 

 erly portions of the same, it is not necessary to have 

 as much distance between the hills or rows as in areas 

 more favorable to large growth. Especially in the 

 northern portions of the semi-arid belt, the habit of 

 growth in corn is more or less dwarfish relatively. The 



