The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-04-14
The Cultivation OF Corn.

The Cultivation OF Corn.
Many readers of the Cultiuator are aware
that 1t is the practice with many farmers 70
plow up the entire corn-bed about the mldole
Of May when the corn is about two feet h1gn.
If the season following be dry or II there are
only occasional showers, the roots OF the corn
will grow mainly in the lower pulverizeu SOL,
where there Is constant moisture. nolaing
plant food in solution. The after cultivation
is usually done with sweep, run shallow 10
clean the bed Of grass and to pulverize the
surface soil. We will suppose q wet spell OF
how will the corn be affected by IL? 1t will
cause the corn to grow rapidly. The corn
roots will in short time take possession OF
the entire corn-bed; upon examination they y,
cannot grow in the too wet soil below, The
stalks will grow unusually large and tall , and
the ground will be covered with grass anu
weeds. In this condition OF the crop, the far;
mer finds himself in O dilemma. II lie shOuld
conclude to let the corn and grass grow 70,
gether, he cannot expect much Of a yield, and
If he should determine, rs he usually does, TO
G the
It will have the effect Of bringing the growth
of the corn at once to stand-still. In snort
time the lower blades viii begin to @ tnrn sI yel,
low, what Is called firing, which Will soon
reach up to the insignificant shoot. the abort
ed ear. What has caused this sudden change
in the appearance Of the corn? The answer
would give Is, the plow has done II. IL mat
how shallow 1t may be run over the corn-bed,
it will cut and destroy nearly oil of those roots
that grew near the surface during the wet
spell of weather, The corn mas been seVerelS ,
this root pruning the time for making the ear
has passed, and the result is o complete lail-
ure Of the crop.
wet spell happen several times about the first
of June, and In every instance the corn crop
was more or less injured-not so much by the
wet spell as, in my opinion, by the faulty y eui, =
wet spell happened in this section last sum,
mer, commencing about the 25th Of May. and
lasted two weeks: the corn was ploWed as US,
ual and revived. Afterward heard several
wet spell. But is 1t a fact that a wetEpell hap
pening about the caring time Of corn is calcu,
lated TO injure the crop? Unless 1t is In lana
too relentive of water, or not properly dram
due to a faulty cultivation. II such cultlya-
tion be attended with so much hazard to the
crop us have shown what better system can
be Instituted to insure success, whether the
munication is to call the attention of farmers
to plan which both observation and expert
ence have proved to be more certain than the
one usually practiced.
In Southern climate like ours it is impor.
tant to have the rows wide apart, say or .
feet, and not to have the corn too thick In the
drill. l will conflne what have to Suggest
mainly to the use OF the p!ow in cultivation.
leaving details to the good judgment OF the
farmer. AS soon then as the corn Is large
enough, 60 around it one time with four
inch scooter, running It as deep and as near
the corn as possible. Ffteen, or twenty days
running one furr0w with or inch turning
shovel just outside The schooter furrow, and
throwing the dirt or soil we'll around the corn
stalks in the drill. After this second furrow Is
run, the hoes should follow. cleaning the mar:
row corn.bed and bringing the corn 10 stand
which should be thin enough to stand ana dc
we'll in a moderately dry season. Again, IN
fifteen. or twenty days third furrow should
be added to the eorn-oed. So far one fnrrow
at time and at suitable intervals has been
given to the corn-bed; our object IN TINS IS u tc
give fresh supply of pnlverfZed SOIL 10 inc
roots, but no moie than is deemed necessary
to grow o moderately sized stalk, reservine
the middle to be given when the time comes
to grow anear. If In the meantime the mid,
die should become foul, 1t should be cleaned
with sweep or other suitable plow.
At this stage Of our cultivation, suppose
wet spell should occur, how will the corn be
affected by 1t? The roots will grow near the
surface for the reasons given above, hut Will
be confined to the narrow corn-bed made BY
the six furrows already given, and the open
third furrow will prevent them from reach
ing the unbroken middle. AS soon after the
rains as the ground Is In CONDITION 10 M, be
plowed, the cultivation can be resumed. The
corn-bed is to be let alone whether 1t Is grassy
or not. The grass and weeds cannot be de
stroyed by the plOw without also greatly IN
turing the corn roots, the very thing to be
avoided. But the middle can now be pOWed
out entire with turning plow, Throwing the
dirt rs far over the corn-bed as possible tC
cover up all grass and weeds that have come
up during the wet spell; those the plow can
not cover up had better be let alone, except sc
mnch Of them as can be destroyed with inc
hoe They are in some respects like the tarcs
found growing with the wheat, had better Oe
let grow together until harvest, lest In destroy
ing the one the other may be injured. IL
however, there Is no wet spell after the third
furrow Is run, when should the middle be
plowed out? Just when The corn Is about tc
put forth the tassel; then the entire corn-bed
should be made that the roots may get poses
order that they may appropriate the fertiliz
Ing elements of the soil to make the car. II
this be done too early, and the season DC ia
vorable, the stalk IS sure to grow too large
and then, If the season should be unfavora.
BILE about the time the ear is putting forth anG
maturing, the soil may not afford water and
fcrtiIzng elements enough to maintain
large stalk and to grow an ear at the same
time.
! If it IS necessary TO plow corn after this te
keep the bed clean, 1t should be done with
sweep, run as shallow as possible: ANY culti
vation to be successful must avoid the cutting
the ear Is making. In this plan have only
given the main points, leaving minor detail:
! to be applied as occasion may require. II II
can be improved let 1t be done, for am sure
many readers Of the CelliUato,' would appre
ciate any suggestions that would enable them
to increase the production of corn and make
it a more certain crop. K. MCKINNON.