1530 The Vegetable Industry in New York State 



machines are used, the fertilizer would have to be broadcasted 

 by hand or otherwise. Where the ordinary farm corn planter is 

 available, this may be utilized. For large areas a two-row, two- 

 horse planter is a very practical machine to use. It is sometimes 

 greatly to the advantage of the grower to use the hand method, 

 owing to the fact that the patch may be marked out in two ways, 

 and the corn planted at the intersection of these marks. It is 

 then possible to cultivate both ways, resulting in a decreased 

 amount of hand hoeing, or none at all. 



CULTIVATION 



Clean culture should be given at all times. Corn roots are 

 relatively surface feeders. Therefore, only shallow cultivation 

 should be practiced. For horse tools the twelve-point cultivator 

 is recommended. The fine teeth are made in such a way that if 

 properly handled they need not dig deeply into the soil. For 

 hand tools, the many wheel hoes are useful. Coupled with these 

 tools, of course, the hand hoe is recommended, especially for work 

 close to the plant. During the summer it would be advisable to 

 remove the sucker growths that come out from around the base 

 of the stalk, as they have a tendency to decrease the productive- 

 ness of the plant. Corn is not able to withstand drouth as well 

 as many other crops. Therefore, conservation of moisture by 

 maintaining a dust mulch is essential. 



PESTS 



Diseases. The same smut that attacks field corn is found grow- 

 ing on sweet corn. To combat the disease, the following is 

 recommended : soil free from the disease, which means rotation 

 of crops ; eradication of portions of the plant found diseased ; and 

 care not to apply manure containing smutted fodder. 



Insects. The corn ear worm or bollworm is injurious to sweet 

 corn in several sections of New York State. There is no satis- 

 factory remedy. 



HARVESTING 



In harvesting the corn, the ears should be removed from the 

 stalk with care. Do not break the stalk in severing the ears. Do 

 not press so tightly against the ear that the kernels will be de- 



