6 BULLETIN 653, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
in hills?) How far are the rows spaced apart? How far apart are — 
the hills in each row? What is a “check rower”? How many 
kernels are planted in a hill? What is the secret of a pre ane 4 
corn crop! : . 
Exercises—How many kernels are needed to plant an acre of 
ground? How many. ears does that require? How many farmers — 
in your district take their seed ears from the corncrib in the spring? 
Is there any certain way to find whether they will grow before plant- — 
ing them in the field? (See p. 4.) How many kernels in a quart of 
good shelled seed corn of the kinds commonly grown in the locality? — 
How many quarts are needed to plant an acre?) How many bushels — 
for 40 acres? How many bushels of shelled corn do the best farmers | 
in your district raise on an acre? How does this compare with the 
best yields made by the boys’ corn clubs in your State? 
References—Farmers’ Bulletins 414, pp. 19-24; 537, pp. 14, 15: 
729, pp. 8-13. Farmers’ Bulletin 773 gives on pp. 12-16 instructions — 
on time and methods of planting corn under droughty conditions. 
LESSON IX. 
Subject—The cultivation of corn. 
Topics for study—Purposes of cultivating corn. Importance of — 
first cultivation. Shallow cultivation. Meaning of a soil mulch. ~ 
Purpose of a mulch. Proper depth. Frequency of renewal. | 
Exercises —The effect of a soil mulch may be shown by filling twe © 
cans or flower pots with soil and planting corn. When the plants are © 
3 inches high cover the soil in one pot with a layer of coarse sand | 
or granular dry soil to a depth of 1 inch. Place in the window and ~ 
observe which plants first show the need of water. y 
If a man and team harrow 15 acres a day, how long will it take to 
harrow a field twice which is 80 rods long and 60 rods wide? What 
would be the cost, charging local prices? 
References—Directions for the proper cultivation of corn are © 
given in Farmers’ Bulletin 229 for the “ Corn Belt States,” and in~ 
Farmers’ Bulletin 81* for States farther south. Farmers’ Bulletin 
729 gives on pp. 13-19 instructions on how to cultivate corn in the — 
Southeastern States. Farmers’ Bulletin 773, pp. 16-18. Farmers’ 
Bulletin 537, pages 16 and 17, gives general directions for cultivating 
corn with a view to producing a maximum yield. Nearly every 
State has one or more bulletins on this subject. These should always | 
be procured from the State agricultural college and studied in the — 
class. 
LESSON X. 
Subject.—Corn diseases and pests. t 
Topics for study.—The corn root-louse. The chinch bug. The 
corn ear-worm. Weeds. Corn smut. The larger cornstalk-borer. 
