72 FIELD CROP PRODUCTION 



59. Depth of planting. — Corn may be planted from 1 

 to 5 inches deep; 1 to 2 inches deep maj' be considered 

 shallow, while from 3 to 5 inches may be regarded as deep 

 planting. The results of numerous experiments comparing 

 deep and shallow planting, have generally been in favor of 

 shallow planting. The depth of planting, however, will 

 depend largely on the physical condition of the soil. If 

 the soil is iinely pulverized and the moisture has been 

 retained by frequent cultivation, shallow planting is best. 

 If the surface soil is lumpy and is dried out, it may be best 

 to plant rather deeply, in order to cover the corn and place 

 it where there is enough moisture to start germination. 

 In many sections of the Western States corn is planted 

 with a lister. The lister is an implement which plants the 

 corn in the bottom of the furrow, the furrow being made 

 by two disks or shovels running at either side of the drill 

 hoe. Where this practice is followed the land is not 

 plowed, and cultivation consists in plowing dirt into the 

 furrow as the plants increase in height. The advantage 

 over the ordinary method is that of the time and labor 

 saved from plowing, and the securing of better moisture 

 conditions, especially in rather dry areas. Listing can be 

 practiced successfully only on loose, fertile soils. 



60. Rate of planting. — The rate of planting refers to 

 the number of stalks per given area. The proper rate of 

 planting corn will depend largely upon the fertility of the 

 soil, and the purpose for which it is grown. Because of the 

 several factors that will influence the best rate of planting 

 corn, the experiment stations have not been able to make 

 definite recommendations as to the number of stalks per 

 hill or the number of hills per acre. Several stations have 

 conducted experiments along this line, and from the results 

 obtained have made general recommendations to assist 



