CORN 189 



(2) Condition of the Seed Bed. — If the seed bed is 

 poorly prepared, clods form, the surface dries out, and it 

 becomes necessary to plant deeper than if the seed bed 

 were well prepared. 



(3) Amount of Humus in the Soil. — If there is a large 

 amount of humus in the soil, the seed bed does not dry 

 out readily (Exercise 5), it contains plenty of air, or oxygen 

 (Exercise 10), and hence corn need not be planted so deep 

 as would otherwise be required. 



(4) The Depth of the Water Level. — The nearer the level 

 of the gravity water is to the surface, the shallower the 

 seed must be planted. 



(5) The Time of Planting. — The later the planting is 

 done, the warmer the soil, and the drier it is as a rule near 

 the surface ; hence late planting may be somewhat deeper 

 than early planting. 



126. Distance between the Rows. — The distance 

 between the rows varies greatly in different sections. 

 In some parts, especially on new soils, the rows are com- 

 monly three feet apart, while in other sections, whose 

 soils are nearing exhaustion, the average distance between 

 rows is upwards of six feet. In Iowa, it is commonly 

 three and one half feet. 



The proper distance in any given case is determined, 

 as the foregoing suggests, chiefly by the fertility of the 

 soil. It may depend in certain cases, too, upon the use 

 to be made of the crop. If it is intended that the crop 

 be used as silage, the rows may be closer together than 

 otherwise as the growth will be less woody. 



127. The Number of Kernels in Each Hill. — This, too, 

 varies considerably in different locahties. In the leading 

 com states, the number is usually either three or four. 



