146 PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE 
Farmer friends, don’t burn your cornstalks or your straw, both 
are very valuable. Take your disc harrow and cut your stalks and see 
how nicely they will plow under, by using a jointer on your plow. 
We always plow the cornstalks under, because they are of great benefit 
to the soil, by making it loose and porous, so the air can penetrate 
and restore the plant food properties. 
The implements used in preparing the seed bed depends largely on 
the weather conditions. If the ground has become packed, use a dise 
harrow, then, if dry and cloddy, a drag or roller should be used, 
followed by a section harrow. Sometimes two or three harrowings are 
necessary, and if weather conditions indicate dry weather, I run a light 
drag before the planter, if not I plant after the harrow. I never 
prefer working down early plowed ground, because it becomes more 
or less compact and requires more work to make a good seed bed. 
I plant my corn with a ‘‘Black Hawk’’ corn planter (the drill 
type), using furrowing shovels or eveners to regulate the depth of the 
corn, and by using good seed corn I am almost sure of a good stand 
of corn. 
If it comes a heavy rain immediately after planting, I use a section 
harrow before the corn comes up; this breaks the crust, and thus 
prevents the tender corn from crooking and losing most of its vitality. 
After the corn has all come up in good shape, and the weather is dry, 
I start the roller, which pulverizes all remaining clods, then a section 
harrow is used, which leaves the ground in a very fine condition. 
If possible I like for my corn to be three or four inches high for 
the first cultivation, at which time I cultivate about four inches deep and 
as close as possible. This stirs the soil well around the corn-roots and 
starts it to growing. I use a six-shovel cultivator for all the ecultiva- 
tions excepting the last, for which time I prefer the dise cultivator. I 
consider this implement the best for the last cultivation. 
I set the dise next to the corn very shallow and far enough apart 
to plow all of the middle. By cultivating about two inches deep, this 
method will make a nice, loose mulch of soil for the corn-roots to get their 
nourishment from. 
I cultivate as many times as the corn will permit the use of a 
cultivator, then if the weather is dry I use a one-horse harrow to keep 
up the action of the moisture. 
If the farmers of this country would be more careful in selecting 
their seed corn the yield would be much better. ; 
A. H. MYERS. 
