The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1888-04-05
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL.
Planting Corn.

1t is to be presumed most farmers
have made their allotments of fields to
be planted in corn this season. and
are only awaiting the arrival of the
time to plant. When is the time to
plant? Some wait for certain buds to
swell" certain trees to blossom, or
for a warm, dry spell after a certain
day. 1t is claimed that the early
planted makes the heavier corn. and
The most certain crop The early
planted fields will come into silk and
tassel earlier than the late planted.
but not much earlier, especially if the
early planted encounters bad weather
On the whole, we think the best rule
is to plant when the ground is dry
enough to plow well. and at the date
which past experience shows to have
generally given best results. Tenn
peraiuro of the air or ground need
not be considered. Corn that is
planted on day when the ground
is frozen in the morning will be as
apt to do we'll as if the day were as
Az ID Inc "a
the weather that prevails during the
second and third week after planting
the seed, which determines the stand
and the vieor of the young plants.
Corn requires from ten days to two
weeks to come up when planted in
the spring; and it is q matter of little
moment whether the ground is warm
or no on the very day of planting.
If the period of the year has arrived
when we may reasonably expect a
suitable temperature for termination
within the next four or five days. or a
week, and the ground is not too wet
to plow. let the; seed be planted. 1t is
probable that the weather will be be-
ter in the next two weeks when it is
bad ut any given date, and the Sec
ond week is the more important of
The two.
We do not believe in water-furrow
planting early in the spring, however
advisable later on. The planting often
can not be done so early on account
of the soggy condition of the sub-soil
(water furrow). and the heavy spring
rains are more damaging to young
crop in the water-furrow, besides other
reasons. We prefer breaking the land
into fat beds with deep. open water
furrow between, planting in a deep
furrow opened along the middle of he
bed and covering shallow. This gives
better drain age. . richer surrounding
soil. and greater immunity from dam
age by the frequent heavy rains of
spring.
1t is surprising that farmers so often
overcrowd the land with plants in the
face of experience. On land that will
make ten 10 twenty bushels per acre
with average seasons. an allowance of
eighteen 10 twenty -one square feet TO
each stalk is not too much. This will
permit of q greater concentration of
manure to the hill, and consequent
better development of individual
s'alks and ears. Allowing one hum
dred stalks for each bushel of corn the
land is expo ed 10 yield. wo have the
following calculations: Planted AKA
feet, there would be 2. 722 plants per
acre; yield q bushels. Planted 41x41,
or 4x5 would give 2 178 plants;
yield 2178 bushels. Planted Axe.
1872 plants, yield 1912 BUSH
els. The celebrated David Dickson
gave 7x34 feet on uplauds capable of
producing % bushels. Mt an acre
should be planted in corn that will not
# itself. OF with the manure available,
yield at least ten or twelve bushels of
corn-twentY would be better rule.
The most giaring of all our mistakes
is The continued annual cultivation of
acres, the yield of which with the
most favorable seasons will not pay
expenses. Multiply tho number of
such acres until half the whole area
in cultivation is EN- braced until half
of a State is included, and is it any
wonder that such farmers are in n de-
pressed conditiou?-S Southern Cultiva-
| Tor.