September, 1908.] 



201 



Miscellaneous. 



Corn Culture. 



Corn is the main grain dependence for 

 farm stock and can be successfully raised 

 in most portions of the South. Any 

 considerable increase in its annual pro- 

 duction would have a marked effect 

 upon the value of the unused lands for 

 grazing purposes, and would perceptibly 

 increase the income of the farms. The 

 importance of corn for food and for 

 rotation with other crops gives it a 

 rank next to cotton as a standard farm 

 crop. Notwithstanding this, its cultiva- 

 tion has been singularly neglected until 

 the average yield per acre has fallen 

 below the profit line in many States. 

 Even at the high value per bushel 

 allowed, the corn crop in many of the 

 Southern States does not pay a living 

 wage or a fair rent value for the land. 



There is abundant proof that large 

 and profitable crops of corn can be 

 produced in the South by the use of the 

 best seed and improved methods. The 

 planting of low-grade seed in a shallow 

 and impoverished seed-bed is responsible 

 in the main for deficient yields and 

 quality. However, to secure the best 

 results other reforms must be made, 

 such as better drainage, an adjustment of 

 distances between the rows and the 

 stalks in the rows to meet the require- 

 ments of soil and climate, intensive 

 cultivation of the crop, the use of 

 cowpeas in the corn, and the following 

 ot the corn with a winter cover crop. 



The Farmers' Co-operative Demonstra- 

 tion Work includes instruction along all 

 of these lines, and the results have been 

 most encouraging. Our investigations 

 show that not even one per cent, of the 

 lands in the South planted to corn are 

 ploughed deeply enough at breaking, 

 that they have not sufficient humus, and 

 that they are not given the proper tillage 

 to make the best crop. Seed is so gener- 

 ally defective that only about one-third 

 of so-called good seed is suitable for 

 planting if maximum yields are expected. 

 Along these practical lines weaie con- 

 ducting co-operative demonstrations 

 with the object of increasing the corn 

 crop in the South Atlantic and Gulf 

 States at least threefold per acre without 

 additional cost. A system of seed selec- 

 tion for improving the quality and in- 

 creasing the yield and methods of storage 

 for the preservation of vitality are out- 

 lined, detailed instructions being given 

 on application. 



Selection of Seed Corn. 

 The object of the average farmer in 

 planting corn is to secure the largest 

 crop of good corn possible under the con- 

 ditions. The selection of the seed is very 

 important. 



For the best results corn should be 

 selected in the field. The Japanese select 

 their rice seed before the harvest. 



The model ear of corn is only a small 

 part of the problem. The stalk, the leaf, 

 the root habits, the husk, and the 

 environment of the plant from which the 

 ear is taken must be considered. Most of 

 the Southern States are subject to a 

 shorter or longer drought during the 

 period of growth of the com crop, and 

 the crop will depend largely upon the 

 drought-resisting habits of leaf and roots. 

 Some varieties of corn which are model 

 in ear have so open a husk that the 

 weevils destroy much of it while in the 

 field. Again, the ear in the crib does not 

 tell how many weak or bastard stalks 

 grew in the vicinity. 



Cowpeas and other Son.- Renovating 

 Crops. 



As just stated, corn requires a strong 

 well-tilled soil, and upon thin land 

 deteriorated by bad management, the 

 yield soon drops below a remunerative 

 average. Such lands will, however, pro- 

 fitably produce other crops of great value 

 for the sustenance of farm stock, and, in 

 addition, the growing of these crops will 

 provide an excellent means of soil renova- 

 tion. Lands that are now producing ten 

 bushels of corn per acre will with much 

 less labour produce lj tons of cowpea 

 hay per acre, equal in nutritive value to 

 thirty-one bushels of corn, or they will 

 yield 1J tons of peanut hay per acre, equal 

 in nutritive value to 23| bushels of corn, 

 and in addition a peanut crop of 25 

 bushels per acre may be secured. 



On rich lands that under good culture 

 will produce forty or more bushels of corn 

 per acre satisfactory results can be 

 secured by planting cowpeas between 

 the rows of corn. Even rich bottom 

 lands rated to yield forty bushels of corn 

 per acre if sown to alfalfa frequently 

 X>roduce five tons of hay per acre in a sea- 

 son, equal in feeding value to 105^ bushels 

 of corn. In addition, such crops as cow- 

 peas, peanuts, and alfalfa rapidly enrich 

 the soil and leave it in excellent mecha 

 nical condition for the ensuing year. 



V Generally speaking, poor hill lands 

 should not be used for corn culture 

 unless they are placed under a thorough 

 system of renovation, or unless fertiliza- 

 tion with stable manure or compost is 

 practised to a high degree. 



Seed Farms. 

 The good-seed problem has been a most 

 difficult]', one to solve in the South. 

 Very few farmers have paid any atten- 



