Wichita eagle., 1888-04-19
FARM MATTERS.
a Few Reflections on Corn Raising

Correspondence Rural New Yorker.
The corn crop of this country can be
doubled without increasing the amount
of fertilizers at present used, or the
acreage. This statement will doubtless
be questioned by a large number OF IN
telligent farmers There is no other
crop in the United States about the cul-
tivation of which there is such differ
ence of opinion, or the best way OF cult
waiting which is so little UNDERSTOOD.
Three-fourths of the farmers who grow
corn at all cultivate it either too much
or improperly. By cultivation L mean
the work given TO the crop after II Is up
and growing. and not the preparation OF
the SOIL before planting. Corn requires
but comparatively little cultivation IL
the soil has been properly prepared before
hand, and whatever work 1t receives
should be given when the crop IS quite
young. Thoroughly breaking and pun
verizing the soil are the most important
considerations. The cultivation should
/ begin as soon as the corn Is cieyeTty up
with either a harrow or cuitYator, ana
the work should be continued until me
crop is laid by. If the corn IS planted III
| checks, one good blowing each way VIII
secure a good crop, other conditions De
| ing favorable 1t should be lald by be
| fore it is knee-high. and the last plowlng
/ should be very shallow. A turning plow
should never 90 in corntieid after the
! crop is planted. The modern one-horse
turning plow has destroyed millions OF
/ bushels of corn. and the same may be
said of the iong-shank double shovel.
| The turning pillow leaves the field III
ridges, while level culture is the proper
thing. The double shovel will piow too
deep in spite of the plowman, and mutli-
ate the young lateral corn roots. Every
time these roots are. bruised or broken
| the corn is damaged. Root-pruning Is
an advantage to barren fruit tree:
| but it should not be practiced
in the cultivation of a corn crop.
To grow corn successfully, make the
soil fertile, if not already SO: break deep;
pulverize thoroughly; run drag over
! over it and let it take rain or two. Re-
break it not quite SO deep; harrow again,
then run drag over it to make 1t
smooth Lay it off 1-2 to A l-2 feet
| each way. Plant good, sound corn.
| Begin TO cultivate early and quit early.
Do not be too impatient to plant. Better
to wait until the ground gets warm. Ii
YOU plant too early the corn will make a
slow start: the stalks will get hard and
the crop will never do so well; besides
the grass or weeds may get ahead OF the
corn. Put the turning plow and double
shovel under the tool shed as soon as the
corn is planted, and use the cultivation
and one-horse harrow with short teeth
In breaking the land a good coat o.
young grass and weeds will be turned
under, and millions of seeds just germ
mating will be destroyed, thus making
the labor of cultivation much less.
1t is a fallacy to throw up big ridge
next to the corn to keep 1T from being
blown down. The roots hold up The
corn. Just as we'll pile soil around {
fruit tree to keep it from being blown
down. 1t is a fallacy to pillow corn deer
when it is silking, during drouth, t.
bring up the moisture. The blowing il
a serious injury. If the soil has beer
properly prepared the moisture will bf
brought up'by capillary attraction. 1t i:
fallacy to undertake, by five or 81,
plowings in field OF growing corn, t
do the work that ought to have beer
done before planting.