178 THE BOOK OF CORN 



of the soil and the quantity available. Five cords of 

 good yard manure per acre are sufficient, or six hun- 

 dred to eight hundred pounds fertilizer. The quantity 

 used, however, is" governed by individual circum- 

 stances. For bringing up thin and wornout soils, cow- 

 peas or clovers may be used with advantage. These 

 precede the corn crop. The cowpeas are plowed under 

 in the fall and the clovers in the spring and chemical 

 fertilizer is used with them. 



In planting, both the checkrow and drill systems 

 are followed, the latter giving slightly the best yield on 

 soils not too weedy. This method is also used largely 

 where the crop is grown for fodder or for the silo. 

 The checkrow system allows of cultivation both ways, 

 and is almost invariably followed where the crop is 

 grown for the grain. The rows vary in width from 

 three to three and one-half and occasionally four feet, 

 depending somewhat upon the variety and strength of 

 the soil, the greater distance being used on thin soils 

 and in large-growing kinds. Where corn is planted in 

 drills the rows are commonly three and one-half feet 

 and the kernels dropped from six inches to one foot in 

 the row, although for fodder purposes it is planted 

 thicker, yet great caution should be used that when in 

 full growth it is not so thick as to shut out the free cir- 

 culation of the air and the penetration of sunlight to the 

 great mass of the stalks and leaves. Horse corn drills 

 are much used and recommended because they dis- 

 tribute fertilizer in the row at the same time of drop- 

 uing the seed. This gives the corn a quick start and 

 pushes it along during the early part of the season. 

 Early planting is of great advantage, but the exact 

 time of planting can only be governed by the neighbor- 

 hood and the season. The middle of May in most 

 seasons for southern New England is about right. 

 The object of cultivation is threefold, viz, for till- 



