Wichita eagle., 1888-12-12

soil needs it; in short. never plant til
| the ground is well fitted and in goot
| order
termination may be fastened by pull
verizing well the soil and exposing it tt
the sun Thereby warming it much soon
er than if simply plowed and planted
on the furrow. long ago learned thai
early planted corn will always bt
the best corn. Plant in rows both ways
made as straight as possible. As soon as
the corn can be seen to start, put on a
smoothing harrow again, regardless OF
hill or row, to kill the small weeds that
| always get the start of the corn if left
till the rows are plain enough to follow.
As soon after that as the rows are
plain l would put in the cultivator OF
corn plow as it is called here l believe,
with shields on, taking care to uncover
all hills that may get covered. The
next week l would turn the other way,
and every week after that for six weeks
at least, would go through it one way
or the other.
Here is where shall run against the
prac tice, if not the views of many who
have perhaps raised more corn than
ever saw.
To maintain my point, however. will
say that careful experiment has proven
to me that the growth of corn may be
greatly fastened by keeping thesoil loos-
ened up often.
The gases in the atmosphere necessary
to the growth of plants, are more readily
absorbed by the fresh soil than is possible
if crusted over and hard. Again if the
soil is often stirred. the roots of the plant
will run deeper. To do this amount of
work it will be understood, l could only
plant as many acres as my team or teams
could 60 over in one week one way. If
the corn gets too high before that time
to pass over it with two horse pillow, or
cultivator, would put each horse to a
single pillow and man after it and keep
up the work. would not make Just
six weeks or just six times through the
corn, the exact rule; but would make it
more rather than less. unless it be while
the corn is just in the fertilzing stage,
and the ears setting. l would not stir
the soil much, to any depth especially,
after the ears are formed. Many other
reasons might be given for this constant
stirring of tie soil around the corn crop,
but think it unnecessary to enter into a
further discussion of that point in this
short paper. One of the greatest errors
that the Kansas farmer has fallen into is
that he spreads himself out too thin, he
tries to cover more territory than he can
do Justice to. | believe that there are
those here who will agree
that it is possible for one
bushels of corn on forty acres than he
i,l, 10,
maxim that what is worth doing at all,
is worth doing we'll. Better far to let
half, or perhaps three-fourths of your
ground lie in pasture or meadow, than
break up all and plant more than it is
possible to care for well. The ground is
not benefited. your pocket is not bene
fitted, by breaking eighty or one hundred
acres of ground, to be worked with one
team; to find in the fall instead of clean
well developed corn field, vast terri
tory of earless corn stalks, suntlowers,
burrs and all manner of weeds, scatter
ing their seeds to the four winds to
harrass all coming generations who may
seek to till the soil as a livelihood.
Finally allow me to recapitulate by
saying, plow and fit your ground early
md well, plant the earliest variety of
seed you can get, early. Begin Guilt
Vating early and keep it up with dill
yence till the corn is made. Multiply
your men and teams by two, or divide
your acres to be planted by two or in
some instances better take three for the
nultiplier or divisor as the safer rule.
Again, not bushel of corn should
,ver be sold off the farm till it is con-
7erted into pork, beef or mutton.