Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-05-09
How to Plant Indian Corn.

The question as 10 what particular
method of planting corn, so far as relate
to the arrangement of stalks, is best, ha
long been discussed, and there is to da,
quite as wide difference of opinion a,
there was twenty years ago. While SOM
believe in planting in hills others believ.
it best to plant in rows, and while SOM
believe in planting the hills two and on
halt feet apart with three or four stalks il
hill others believe it best 10 plant lou,
feet apart each way. with five stalks in /;
hill; others who plant in rows differ as IL
the distance the rows should be from eac
other, varying from three and one hal
feet to five or six feet. Each claims /,
have the best way.
In deciding the hest method it is well /.
keep in view the fact thai the hest way
that which will produce the corn tn
ch, apest. Because more corn can l.,
grown by any particular arrangement o
stalks, it by no means follows that 1t is
best. Some years since great variety o
ways was tried to test the question as lt
what arrangement would produce tn,
most corn to the acre; the result was thai
where single kernels were planted on.
foot apart each way there was the mos,
corn; but the additional labor was NOR,
than the value of the increased product
When planted in hills at equal distanc,
each way, it very much reduces the Label
of cultivation; if the right system be ad.
opted very little hand work is needed to
keep the field perfectly clean. After
many experiments the following has been
adopted as The best method by one whc
hires all the labor, and grows corn fer less
than fifty cents per bushel. As soon Us
the corn is up so it can be seen in rows, !,
small horse pillow is run through the field
turning the earth from the corn on each
side of every row; in this condition tn,
corn should stand ten days. when the field
should be plowed the other way turning
fir, M the corn as before, thus leaving each
hill Of corn standing on small squar,
hill where it receives the heat of the sun
at a season when most needed. Nothing
more is done to the field until near the
first of July, when, if the weather be hot
the corn will have got heat enough; as
soon as this is evident cutivator should
be run through the rows both ways and
the ground made level; thus all of the soil
will be stirred except what is in the hill
All of the hand work necessary is to pull
the weeds out OF the hills. BY this
method corn can not only be grown witt
very little labor but a larger crop can be
grown than by the ordinary method O
Gu tivstion.
Careful experiments indicate that TWEEN
ty-fve hills to the rod and four or five
stalks in hill is about right.
The above from the Massachusetts
Ploaghmdn we cannot quite agree with
In any hill planting there will be weed.
in the hill which must be pulled out viii
the fingers or remain there TO the injury
OF the corn. We believe fully in drill
planting, with the rows three or four fee
apart and kernel every nine to twelve
lches, according to the kind of corr
planted. In our experience with this
method we have found few weeds which
the cullivator did not kill and they coulc
mostly be reached with the hoe without
d sturbing the corn. In such planting
e,ch stalk Of corn getsthe greatest amour
OF air and sunshine possible in a field, ant
these are necessary for the greatest per
lection of the crop. The great trouble
heretofore has been in planting it, bu
with the new drill.corn-planter it is now
no more work than to plant in any Other
manner, and the one we used last year
the Champion, made by the. Wait Manu-
featuring Co, Grand Haven, Mich, gave
entire satisfaction, not only 10 us but to
the neighbors who borrowed it. Try a
piece of corn in drill and sec which gives
the best crop.