SWEET CORN PROJECT 289 



6. Starting early plants. — W : 46. Some market gardeners 

 have found it profitable to start part of the plants under glass. 

 A cold frame will serve the purpose very well. Perhaps it is never 

 desirable to plant the seed more than three weeks in advance of 

 setting the plants in the open ground. Three-inch paper pots, 

 filled with good soil, are satisfactory. About six grains of corn 

 should be planted in each pot,' and then the plants should be 

 thinned to three or four, and at the proper time each pot of plants 

 planted in the field or garden to make a hill. 



1. Explain the details of starting sweet corn under glass. 



• W-VG : 432. 



2. How much time do you think would be gained in starting the 



plants under glass? 



3. Do you think it would pay you to use this method ? 



7. Cultivating. — Corn should have thorough cultivation 

 until it is impossible to drive between the rows with a horse. 

 Any crusts formed on the surface of the ground before the plants 

 are up should be broken by the use of a horse-drawn weeder. 

 Some hand hoeing may be necessary to keep the plot free from 

 weeds. A top dressing with nitrate of soda when the plants are a 

 foot or two "high is common practice. 



1. What implements will you need to cultivate your sweet corn ? 



2. Give explicit directions for the use of the weeder and cultivator 



for this crop. Wi : 23-25. 



8. Suckering. — Some varieties of sweet corn produce a great 

 many shoots or suckers about the main stalk. There is no ques- 

 tion about their interfering more or less with the development of 

 large ears, and for this reason it pays to remove them as soon as 

 possible after their appearance. Wi : 25, 72, 182. 



