The Red Cloud chief., 1881-05-19

cribs. There aas been much snow and
rain and they have blown IN the cracks
D. the cribs and rendered the cora
moist When the grams aud - have
been we they have frozen, and the
freezing. los likely. has destroyed the
germ of the seed. This fact can unly
oe satisfactorily asce-iaiaed b testing
ONE OF the kernels. This may &c
readily done By p!acIng them between
LAYERS of cotton batting. OF n loose
cotton. mciStening them and placing
the vessel that contains them in . mod
erately warm place. II experiments
show that q considerable proportion
OF the corn relied on fo- seed VII not
germina:c, means must be taken IN
season TO procure = supply that : reli.-
ble- This matter should not be deferred
50 ate A. 10 put OF the time OF plant
ing til beyond the usual period. In
this latitude Il Is necessary 20 utilize
the entire growing season If We wish
to obtain a large crop Of orn IL -
vastly better 10 give i've dollars 4 bush
el for reliable seed corr han - plsni
that % which there j. any doubt
MANY persons who are careful IN
their selections of seed corn make up
for their want OF prudence and fore
sight BY r~eplauting the missing hills"
Common observations show. however.
that repianted corn. ike chickens tina:
are helped out of the shell. never
amounts To- much. IL il is Of the same
variety Is that which was planted in
the first place IL is not likely 20 mature
# the season is snort. IL i a sOu-ce Of
trouble during the season Of cultivation
and harvesting. II an early variety j.
se,ec,ed for the reason that ( VIII ma
ture quickly. the product OF the fed
Will be mixed com. which Will On
mand 3 lower price III the market
than 4 lot that is OF the saIe kind
throughout
After procuring an ample supply OF
reliable seed corn Of a good VARIETY.
attention should nex be giyen To tine
preparation of the ground where the
crop is TO be produced. IL = not
enough TO pillow and harrow il well.
II there are low places in the field pro-
vision must be made for draining them.
and for preventing Waterfront collecting
in them during the season. More orr
is lost By water standing on the ground
than by n other cause. Land intend
ed for corn should never be piowed
when it is wet The sol. should be n
4 condition 70 be pulyerized a II rolls
from the pillow. If the soil is quite
damp when ii Is plowed IL Will not be in
q condition To wOra well IL 4 time
during the entire season.
II i a mistake on the part Of many
farmers TO suppose that corn l. not an
exhaustive crop. It growth does not
exhaust the soil OF q few elements. rs
wheat does IN Z few seasons alter
which il cannot be raised in paving
Cuantit es. Neither does Il quickly ap-
propria;e the elements OF plant growth.
IS is the ease with fax and most OF the
small grains. The reason OF this Is
that the plants occupy but a compare
tive!y small amount of the soil in the
field where il Is PLANTED. As the hills
are generally abou, four feet apart, the
roots DO not extend through al the soil
occupied by the crop. rs Is the caSe
when seed is sown broadcast, or plant
ed by a drill. Still the roo draw the
fertility from the soil they occupy. and
in the course OF n few years the change
in the location Of the hills viii cause
all the ground to be occupied by o
ut least for one season. Our prairie
land i rich in the material required for
the production OF corn: but crops
grown several years in succession will
cause it To become poor. In many of
the richest portions OF the West the de-
crease in the yield OF corn has been
great during the past few wears.
No crop shows the effect of high
manuring better than corn. The east
est and perhaps the best method OF APP
plving coarse farm-ya ard manure TO
corn land is to spread il yer the sur
face and TO plow il under. Treated in
this wa, it benefits the crop during
the entire season. It's effects will also
be seen on several following crops
planted on the same land. IN the
East and South. where farmers seek 10
make 4 small amount Of manure .'go a
long wav.' they apply the manure in
the hill. Only that which is thorough
" decomposed is employed, as new and
rank MANURE would be likely to DESTROY
the seed. 4 furrow is made for ho,d-
in~ the manure, that l. dropped at
proper intervals. or an opening is made
for the manure with a hand hoe. This
method of Applying manure IS labori-
Gus, but il is productive o. excellent
results. Fine. well-rotted Il in
the hill gives the corn an early start
and causes lis growth in the first part
of the season 10 be very rapid. The
largest corr crops in the country are
produced where this manner of apply
ing is prac;iced.
- l. a.
run a light smoothening harrow over
land planted with corn rs soon as the
plants are a few inches high. By 20
doing the first weeds that appear are
killed. and no great injury is done TO
the growing cora. Some hold that no
lasting injury is done the corn. It. ap-
pearance is bad for n few davs after the
harrow is used. or till q rain occurs. but
it then improves and generally grows
rapidly. Very careful farmers go
through 4 field OF corr as soou rs the
plants are n few inches high. and with
a hand hoe work the soil immediately
about the hill. Ii stones or Jumps of
hard earth are over the young plants
they are carefully removed. All weeds
and grasses are killed and the soil is
loosened about the plants for q few
inches on all sides. If there is 4 def
ciencv of light soil some is drawn about
the hill. Care is also taken 10 kill cut
worms that are likely 10 iniure corn IN
the earlier stages of its growth. The
frequent use of the hand hoe in the
corn-field is strongly commended I all
who take pride in raising superior crops.
No matter what improved implement is
used in doing the chiefpart OF the work
of cultivation. the hand hoe should be
used in connection with il Ct after il
has been employed. But little soil mav
be stirred with q hoe, but il is moved
exactly as it should be. The plow. har-
row and c~ultivator are all excellent for
stirring the ground between the hills.
but for treating that in the hill itself
there is no implement ike the hand
hoe. In culiivating corn with any
horse implement some hills are likely
10 be injured. and the hand nee is nee
eSsary to repair the damage. The in
stances are rare that premiums are
awarded TO crops of corn that were not