The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1886-03-10
JT

and ground will permit, broadcast
1000 pounds ofgood acid phosphate,
turn under shallow, and subsol
deeply, crossing direction of last
ffurrows.H Harrow, if necessary, to
smoothe and make fine seed bed.
Have your land SO arranged as to
get as long rows as possible, and
straight. Avoid turning rows and
Ht'point" rows, but give plenty of
room for turning at each end Of the
rows. Lay off your drill burrows
with a straight shovel at least ID
inches long, and run several times
in same furrow until it is clean cut );
and be certain to have. these burrows
perfectly straight and parallel with
each other. In the bottom of these
burrows distribute 200, or more,
pounds of ammoniated fertilizer to
give the young plants a start in
their first attempt after outside food.
Stir the fertilizer into the soil by
running the small bull-tongue in the
bottom of the drill furrow. Use the
best seed that can be had, selecting
some Of those kinds that produce
two to three ears. Drop carefully
every 3 feet in the drill from Is to
20 grains, being sure that each grain
falls to it's place in the bottom Of the
burrows, and does not lodge 0 the
sides. Cover by means Of two di-
minutive harrow teeth plows fast
ened five inches apart to the foot of
an ordinary pillow stock causing
them to strike the sides Of the fur
rows about half way from top and
bottom. When this process is COM
pleted, the field will have the APP
pearance of 60 parallel bitches 200
feet long, partly filled with loose
soil. AS the corn strikes root it is
deep down in the soil where there is
moisture whilst the sun has full
play upon the seed'bed. AS soon as
the cor has made it's appearance
above the ground, with the Thomas,
or a similar harrow, go ever the
field, up and down the rows first,
Especially if the ground is rough),
and afterwards across, until all
weeds and grasses are destroyed
and the ground levelled for the first
working with the pillow. Whether
there is any grass or weeds or not,
this narrowing must be done to give
the ri a start off, to prepare the
land for future working, and to keep
back the grass and weeds that must
come before the next process Of cul-
%tivation. This narrowing must be
done as soon as the corn is up, for
it cannot be done after the leaves
unfold. The crop will now have a
little time to grow and if the seas
on is warm you will see something
beautiful in the way ofplant growth.
When the corn has reached the
height of II to Is inches, and there
is no longer any danger from frost,
worms, or crows, thin out by hand
very carefully. Select four Of the
healthy looking stalks, not crowding
each other, andlpulll all the others
out, one at a time, by placing the
toe Of the boot in among the plants
in the act of drawing, and after
wards pressing the earth firmly
around the four that are left in each
hill. This is the most tiresome part
of all the work to be done; but,
when carefully performed, it pays a
hundred fold. Replanting never
pays in any kind of land, and espe-
cially in rich lands and where the
intensive system is followed. The
rapidly growing plants that first
take root will crowd out and destroy
later paintings. Thus the necessity
of plenty of seed at the first, even at
the great trouble and cost of thin
ming. After thus thinning to a
stand, run round with a long dia-
mond-scooter going deeply and as
near the plant as possible. In eight
or ten days pillow again, running
close and deep, and then breaking
out middles. Plow at least every
fifteen days. When the corn is
shoulder high and jointing rapidly,
when running round apply 200, or
more, pounds of ammoniated f%ertili-
ger near the plants, thus giving them
a fresh start off for the effort of corn
ing. At this blowing, and those
that follow, dispense with the sin
gle-tree by fastening the rings of the
trace chains to the clevis, and using
a short stretcher about Is inches
long in front of the beam. See that
the ends of this stretcher do not pro-
trude beyond the links into which
they are fastened, thus breaking or