CORN 191 



reasons, corn growers regard replanting with disfavor 

 and seek to avoid it so far as possible. 



A fairly satisfactory rule to follow is : 



If more than twenty per cent of the plants are missing, 

 replant the entire field; if between ten and twenty per 

 cent, replant the missing corn; if less than ten per cent, 

 replant none. 



If the replanting is made necessary as a result of the 

 destruction done by insects, the new rows should be 

 planted between the old ones, and the latter should be left 

 standing so that the insects may continue to feed upon them. 



129. Cultivation begins with the Harrow. — If the 



seed has been put in by either checking or drilUng, the 

 ground should be harrowed crosswise of the rows as soon 

 as the planting is finished. This will prevent the washing 

 out of the kernels by subsequent showers, the water from 

 which would naturally follow the tracks of the planter 

 wheels. 



Even after the young plants are up, the field may be 

 harrowed to advantage, as this will break up any crust 

 that may have formed, thus preventing the loss of mois- 

 ture; and at the same time it will destroy very many 

 small weeds. This harrowing, however, should not be 

 done in the early morning when the little plants are turgid 

 and therefore brittle ' (Section 69), as many of them will 

 be broken off. Moreover, the harrow should usually be 

 driven crosswise of the rows, the teeth should be set 

 slanting backwards, the corn should not be harrowed just 

 as it is coming through the ground, and the harrow should 

 be kept away from wet places. 



130. Later Cultivation of the Crop. — For later cultiva- 

 tion, the shovel cultivator is the implement generally used. 



