172 CORN 



tility of the soil has been drawn upon heavily for a series of years by 

 continuous cropping, has begun to make itself evident in diminished 

 yields. A year of heavy precipitation is the only time when a farmer 

 whose soil is thin can think of growing three stalks per hill with suc- 

 cess. 



Growing for Show Purposes. The spirit of professionalism has to 

 some extent entered the field of corn exhibiting. Breeders who grow 

 samples to win for advertising purposes prefer from two to 2.5 stalks 

 per hill, even on strong land. 



This discussion has been taken up with the idea of getting at the 

 reason for the various views upon the subject. The standard of three 

 kernels per hill has served well up to date, but its practicability is 

 going to be questioned in many sections before long. In order to 

 continue its use a system of farming must be adopted which will 

 maintain the fertility of the soil. 



Replanting Corn. The stand of corn is frequently found to be poor, 

 with a great many one-stalk and missing hills. This is due chiefly to 

 poor seed, to a lack of preparation of the seed bed, to insect enemies, 

 and to climatic conditions. A missing hill means a decrease in yield. 

 Not infrequently a great deal of replanting is carried on, which, it 

 may be said, is not very profitable. In the first place, the plants from 

 the seed that was replanted will not be found to be so far advanced 

 as those about them at the time of the first cultivation. They will not 

 shed their pollen at the same time, and they often will not send their 

 shoots out until so late that the greater portion of the pollen from the 

 other stalks has fallen. This accounts for the nubbin ears which are 

 always found to a great extent on replanted corn. When replanting 

 is done, it is more desirable to plant with an earlier maturing variety 

 of corn. This, of course, cannot be carried out where it is desired 

 that the corn be kept pure, and in this case it could be done with 

 profit only when there is from 10 to 20 per cent of the hills miss- 

 ing. By replanting an earlier variety than was formerly planted, the 

 silks and tassels will come out more nearly the time the rest of the 

 plants of the field send forth their shoots. When the missing hills 

 are less than 10 per cent, it is not deemed advisable to replant, and 

 should the misses be more than 20 per cent the best results will be 

 secured if the entire field is replanted. 



DRILLING CORN. Sod land is frequently put into corn in this 

 manner. On very fertile soil which contains sufficient moisture, the 

 hills may be 9 inches apart. Twelve inches is more desirable, and even 



