West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1886-07-09
THE CORN-FIEID.
How the Hoe should Be Used i'm Connee-
tion with the Cultivator.

crop of corn now that the ground is
marked, the seed dropped and covered
with machine and the soil stirred
with a riding cultivator, than in the
old days when all these operations
were performed by the use of hand
tools. The fields are much larger. and
the amount of corn raised would have
astonished the farmers of former age.
The Introduction of machinery has
lightened toll i'm the corn-field and
greatly increased the crop. 1t is like
ly, however, that most Western farm
ers rely too much on machinery i'm rails
ing corn. They seem TO expect that
machines operated by horses will per-
form all the delicate operations that
were performed by men us
ing hand tools. They appear to forget
that even the best machines are not en-
dowed with Intelligence. They use
them not as aids i'm corn culture. but
they rely on them for the performance
of all the work. They were not orig
inally intended TO do all this. They
were designed and introduced for the
purpose of making the work of hoeing
easy But the introduction of the inn
proved cultivator resulted in the aboli-
ton OF the hand hoe from the corn
field
That the judicious use of the hand
hoe will greatly increase the yield of
corn is shown by numerous reports.
Almost every year the National De-
partment of Agriculture credits Maine
with producing more corn per acre
than any of the Western States. The
znl off l.sA taN. =. 4 Al.
climate unfavorable to the crop. But
all the land planted to corn is worked
with the hand hoe. As the corn-lclds
are small and the ground generally
abOunds i'm small stones, the planter
and riding cultivator can not be used
to advantage. A cultivator drawn by
one horse, "A light pillow or narrow har-
row is run between the rows TO kill the
weeds and loosen the soil, while the
hoe is employed to work the ground
Immediately about the stalks of corn.
Corn I'm gardens generally yields twice
as much as in fields, for the reason that
II is tended with the hand hoe. The
farmers who compete for the corn pre-
miums at our State and county fairs
use the hoe as well as the horse cult
vator in tending the crop. They are
not satisfied with the work done with
riding cultivators. They use them. but
they do not expect that they will do all
the work required. The hand hoe is
used in connection with them.
The hoe should be used in tending a
crop of corn before the cultivator is
brought into the field. As soon as the
young plants appear above ground so
that the rows can be plainly seen, men
should go through the field and inspect
the condition of every hill In many
cases bits of stone, pieces of turf and
hard earth will be found lying above
the spot where the seed was dropped.
If sprouts are visible they do not APP
pear in an upright condition. They
have been bent by the weight above
them. These fragments of stone, turf
and hard earth should be carefully re-
moved, the plants raised in an upright
position by the hand, and some fine
soil thrown about them. In portions
OF some fields, where there is consider
able clay, hard crust will be found
about the young plants. This should
be broken with the hoe, pulveIized,
and then placed about the young
plants. If a rain occurred while the
corn was coming up, some of the
sprouted corn will be found partially
should he drawn over it with the hoe,
so that 1t will have a better chance TO
grow. Some hills, perhaps a majority
of them, will require no special atten-
ton.
1t is not hard work to 90 over a
field of corn i'm this way. Persons too
old or too young to perform ordinary
field labor can engage i'm it. If. for
any cause, the team is disabled or en-
gagged in other work, the ordinary
Held hands can use the hoe for tho
purposes named. If the yield of corn
can be increased ten per cent by using
the hoe in advance Of the cultivator
there will be economy in hiring extra
help at the time when the corn is com
ing up. To insure the largest crop OF
corn possible, the hoe should be used
IN connection with the cultivator dur
ing the entire growing season. The
improved cultivatOr can be relied on
to keep the soil between the hills in
good condition, but it will not work
the soil in the hill itself 1t is not I'M
frequently the case that weeds appear
IN hills, TO the great damage of the
corn crop, when there are none be-
tween the rows. Sometimes the Guilt
yator throws pieces of turf or hard
earth against the young stalks of corn,
and when this is the case they should
be removed by the hand hoe before
they have caused serious damage It
is good plan To have a boy follow
the cultivator, and to repair any dam
age il does.
To insure good work and ease i'm
handling. the hoe used for this pur-
pose should be kept sharp and clean.
Hoes are generally well polished when
they arc bought, and by taking suit
able pains they can be kept i'm this con-
dition till they arc worn out. They
should be thoroughly cleaned at the
end Of each days work, dried and
oiled. When not i'm use they should
be kept under cover, as scythes and
other cutting implements are. There
rs as much reason for sharpening hoes
as scythc-. The latter are used for
cutting grass and weeds above the sur
face Of the ground. and the former for
cutting them below the surface A
man can do twice as much work I'm n
day with q sharp hoe than he can If it
IS dull and covered with rust. and he
can do Che work much more easily. A
hoe may Doe used up in "a single season
" it is happened every day 10 is used,
but DO viii be worn ont 10 good advan-
iagc. 10 will keep the user from wear
ing out and viii increase the crop IL
was grugIrypI 20 ruIftt..t.