CHAPTER III 
PLANTING 
WHEN TO BEGIN PLANTING 
Since the most mature corn is always the result of early 
planting, the farmer should make every ‘effort to have his 
ground in shape by the time of year that planting is generally 
begun. Then, if the ground is too cold, he should wait until 
it warms up. We have made numerous germination tests 
which have convinced us that corn will not germinate or grow 
to advantage when the temperature of the soil is below sixty 
degrees. If the temperature is below fifty degrees for a week 
or ten days, some of the sprouted grains, although the seed 
is of the very best, will rot in the ground. 
From the fifth to the twentieth of May is considered the 
best time to plant corn in Central Illinois. The time varies, 
in any locality, from one to two weeks, depending on the 
soil and the weather. In the western part of Mason County, 
which is very sandy, planting can safely be started a week 
or ten days earlier'than in the eastern part, where there is 
a heavier loam which does not warm up so quickly as the 
lighter soil. 
An old-time general rule was to ‘‘Plant corn when the 
leaves on the white oak tree are as large as a squirrel’s foot.’’ 
There is considerable significance in this fact, as the oak is 
tardy in showing its leaves until the ground has had its spring 
warming. Another good rule is to wait until volunteer corn 
has started to grow around the cribs and barns. If the season 
is very backward and the weather-man assures us that warmer 
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