The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1889-08-23
DOMESTIC ECONOMY.
TOPICS OF INTEREST," TO THE FARM.
ER AND HOUSEWIFE.
Some Valuable Information for tho Plow.
man, %stoclunan. Pouiterer. Nursery
man, and Everybody Connecto,l with the
Farm.
THE FARM
Planting Corn for Ensllas

Planting Corn for Ensllag
How shall we plant? A short, easy
Mle is this: Plant, cultivate and care
for just as you would to secure the most
field corn, just MS you did before silos
n silage were heard of. OF course,
methods will vary some with locality,
soil and the person who grows the crop.
prefer to plant on plowed sod, which
has been generously covered early the
preceding winter with fresh. barnyard
manure. AS soon as our oats are in,
this work, oat seeding, is hastened by
using q c%ut-away harrow in lieu of q
pillow. After the sod is plowed the cut
away harrow is used to mellow it. Ide-
sire q deep, mellow seed bed. We aim
to have our ground in readiness by May
10. 1t does not pay to hasten planting
too much. When planted, the corn
should commence at once to terminate,
and should push up rapidly and vigor-
ously,, which is only possible with
warmth and sunshine.
1t is also n wise precaution that should
never be forgotten, to test our sced be-
fore planting time arrives. This is es-
peclally important in case we purchase
our seed. Ii we save our own seed.
which is always wise, selecting the best.
and hanging it in q warm, dry room, SO
that it will dry out early andthoroughly,
then W. may be pretty sure that every
kernel will germinate; but even then
testing makes assurance doubly sure"
This testing is a very simple matter. We
have only to put u certain number Of
kernels in u box of moist earth about as
We would plant them, and keep the box
in a warm room. IF all or nearly all send
up the sprout, then we know our seed
is good, and need have no solicitude in
planting it.
l. find L can grow the most corn with
the least labor to plant in drills. I have
no special corn drill doubt if the
average farmer can afford to purchase
one-so ! Use my grain drill. All but
the two outside feeders are stopped up
with wooden plugs. This makes the
rows four and one-half feet apart. In
this way We put on about ten or twelve
quarts of corr to the acre. Pretty thick,
do you say? Yes, but corn is cheap; and
if planted SO thick the cut worms can
take some and yet do little harm, and
we can drag up some and yet have
enough for a tirst-class crop of corn. In
thus drilling, we space every other row
with the eye. With care this can be done
SO as to please the most fastidious. We
must also watch the hose, lest they clog
with some sod or clod, and we drop no
corn. In this way it is possible to plant
ten acres IN q halliday. L like this
method. 1t requires no machinery not
already on the farm, it is q cheap and
easy way to plant, and best of all, it has
given magnificent crops of corn.
Nearly or quite as soon as the corr IS
all planted, especially if we have rains
to compact the soil. 1 put a fine tootl
harrow to work. This may be very
large, so as to harrow a wide space il
once crossing the field. The teeth ars
small and slant back. by use of this
the soil is mellowcd, and the ever-pres.
cnt weeds just peering through the
ground are %uprooted and destroyed
This narrowing is continued till the
corn is three or four inches above tn,
ground, and the stalks SO thinned tina
q maximum yield of corn is insured. A.
q result the weeds are largely van.
quisAed, the corn is pushed to a mos
vigorous growth, so that it only remain!
to cultivate the crop with aspiring tootl
cultlvntor till it becomes too large t.
work. Thus all hand labor is avoiNed
weeds are very scarce, even in the rows
and a good crop is secured. must be
sure to so thin our corn as to secure Il
maximum yield of grain. This will also
add to the value of the stalks.-Pr0f.
A. j. COOE.