432 
VEGETABLE GARDENING 
615. Starting early plants. — With the use of paper pots 
it is thoroughly practical to start part of the crop under 
glass, and transplant to the open ground after danger 
of frost. The roots should not be disturbed, so that pots 
must be employed to make this method successful. Start- 
ing sweet corn under glass is not generally practiced, but 
if there is reasonable assurance of good prices the in- 
creased earliness will more than make up for the extra 
trouble and expense of starting the plants. It is doubt- 
ful whether the corn should be planted more than three 
weeks in advance of field planting. Any good compost 
may be used to fill the pots. About six grains should be 
planted in a 3-inch paper or earthen pot, and thinned to 
three or four plants, which later are set in the open 
ground. Cold frames may be used to start the plants, if 
a greenhouse is not available. 
616. Fertilizing. — Soil well adapted to common field 
corn will produce good sweet corn, which thrives on 
heavy, clover sods plowed in the fall or early in the 
spring. Rotten or fresh manures of all kinds may be 
used to advantage. Eight or 10 tons of stable manure 
an acre applied on clover sod provides the most favor- 
able conditions. Commercial fertilizers are also used in 
large amounts for the sweet corn crop, the applications 
varying from a few hundred pounds to a ton an acre. It 
is not uncommon for expert growers operating near 
good local markets to apply 1.500 pounds or a ton an 
acre, although 1,000 pounds is considered liberal treat- 
ment. The mixtures used for this crop generally con- 
tain 3 to 5 per cent of nitrogen and 7 to 10 per cent each 
of the mineral elements. 
617. Soil preparation. — Sod land is invariably the best 
for sweet corn. Other fertile soils, cultivated the pre- 
ceding year, may be used with success. Fall plowing of 
sods in northern sections is often desirable for the very 
early varieties. If plowing be deferred until spring, 
