Edible Products. 



216 



[September, 1910, 



Sometimes the difficulty may be over- 

 come by ploughing the land in beds 1 to 

 1£ metres wide, the furrow between the 

 beds being used to carry off the extra 

 surface water. In this case two rows of 

 corn are planted in each bed. 



While many stiles of corn planters 

 have been devised, they have not come 

 into any general use here at present, nor 

 are they in any way essential to the 

 raising of good crops, though they are 

 of advantage in reducing labour and 

 enabling a greater area to be planted in 

 less time. The proper depth of planting 

 must be governed by the quality and 

 moisture of che soil. If the soil is a stiff 

 heavy clay 3 centimeters is sufficient, 

 while in a light, dry open soil 9 to 12 

 centimeters would be more satisfactory. 

 This may best be done sometimes by 

 planting in a furrow and gradually 

 filling it as the plants grow. Some care, 

 however, is necessary in this method 

 of procedure, as the furrow should not 

 be entirely filled until the plants are 30 

 to 36 centimeters high. This method 

 might be particularly well adapted to 

 seasons in which the plant is to be sub- 

 jected to more or less drought during 

 the latter part of the season of growth. 



The distance between the rows and 

 stalks or hills in the row has a great 

 influence on the production. If planted 

 too close the yield of stalks is increased 

 at the expense of the yield of ears, while 

 if planted too far apart there is a loss 

 both in stalks and ears. While, as has 

 been stated before, the closeness of plant- 

 ing must depend to a great extent on 

 the richness of the soil, on good land 

 very good results are generally obtained 

 by planting the rows about 1\ meters 

 apart and leaving the stalks one meter 

 apart in the rows, though some advocate 

 planting 1| meters apart and 30 centi- 

 meters apart in the row. The only 

 feasible method for the planter to pursue 

 is to try slightly different distances of 

 planting adjoining fields, and then select 

 the distance which gives him the best 

 yield. 



The importance of cultivation, espe- 

 cially in the early stages of growth, 

 should not be overlooked. The farmer 

 should see that from the time of germin- 

 ating to the time of maturing the 

 corn should not be subjected to any 

 unfavourable conditions. Poor cultiva- 

 tion or poor soil is generally indicated 

 by the plants being slender and of poor 

 colour. Thrifty plants are thick, strong, 

 and of a dark green colour. 



Before the corn is up, or even after 

 it is up several inches, the surface crust 

 on the ground and young weeds may 



be destroyed by the use of horse weeders 

 or harrows. 



When the plants are small a culti- 

 vator with very narrow shovels that 

 throw the soil but little should be used. 



As a general rule frequent shallow 

 cultivation is preferable to deep culti- 

 vation, though where the soil has come 

 soaked and compacted from heavy rains 

 deep cultivation will help to dry out 

 and aerate the soil. In doing this care 

 must be taken not to run the shovels 

 of i he cultivator too deep near the plant, 

 as considerable injury may be done by 

 cutting the roots. 



After the plants have reached a height 

 of 1 to \\ meters, the cultivation even 

 in the middle of the row should not be 

 more than 9 to 12 centimeters deep, 



The question as to how often the corn 

 should be cultivated is best answered 

 by stating that it should be cultivated 

 often enough to keep down weeds and 

 preserve a soil mulch 6 to 9 centimeters 

 deep until the corn has completed its 

 growth. This means that it must be 

 cultivated after each rain, but should 

 not be cultivated while the land is wet 

 enough to make mud, otherwise the de- 

 sired results will not be obtained. 



There are many forms of cultivators 

 adapted to different classes of work 

 and conditions, but one of the best for 

 general purposes in this country would 

 probably be a two-horse- walking, tongue- 

 less cultivator. One of these is easily 

 pulled by two vacas, and where tried on 

 ordinary clay land has proven very 

 satisfactory, 



PINEAPPLE GROWING IN 

 PORTO RICO. 



By H. C. Henrickson and M. J. Iobns. 



(Prom the Philippine Review, Vol. III., 

 No. 5, May, 1910.) 



The Double Row System, 



For double rows the beds are laid off by 

 ploughing several furrows together and 

 using some hand work in finishing off. 

 The plants are set from 12 to 22 inches 

 apart each way, leaving a margin of 

 6 inches or more on each side of the bed. 

 This system can be used in any kind of 

 soil. It has practically all of the advant- 

 ages of the one row system, and the dis- 

 advantages of plants and fruit falling 

 over is greatly reduced, although it 

 leaves a great deal to be desired in that 

 respect. In soils that are inclined to be 

 weedy, the two row system is preferred 

 to any other, but in comparatively clean 



