Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1889-05-17
PLANTING CORN FOR ENSlLAGE

How shall we plant? A short, easy
rule is this Plant. cultivate and care for
Just as you would to secure the most field
corn; just as you did before silos and
silage were heard of. OF course methods
will vary some with locality, soil and the
person who grows the crop. Iprefer to
plant on the 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 fastened by using cut-away
harrow in lieu of pillow. After the sod
/ is plowed the cut-away harrow is used to
mellow it. | desire "A deep, mellow seed
bed. We aim to have our ground in
readiness by May. 20 1t does not pay to
hasten planting too much. When plant
ed, the corn should commence at once to
terminate and should push up rapidly
and vigorously. which is only possible
with warmth and sunshine.
1t is also a wise precauton that should
never be forgotten, to test our seed be-
fore planting time arrives. This is es-
pecially important in case we purchase
our seed. If we save our own seed,
which is always wise. selecting the best
and hanging it in a warm, dry room so
that it will dry out early and thoroughly.
then we may be pretty sure that every
kernel will terminate: but even then
!
This testing is very simple matter. We
have only to put certain number of
kernels in box of moist earth about as
we would plant them. and keep the box
in 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.
find | can grow the most corn with
the least labor to plant in drills. have
no special corn drill doubt if the av-
erage 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 ID
feet apart. In this way we put on about
ten or twelve quarts of corn 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 first-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 halliday. like this
method. 1t requires no machinery not
already on the farm, it is cheap and ca
sy way to plant, and best of all, it has
given magnificent crops of corn.
Nearly or quite as soon as the corn is
all planted, especially if we have rains to
compact the soil, put fine tooth har-
row to work. This may be very large,
so as to harrow wide space in once
crossing the field. The teeth are small
and slant back. By use of this the soil
is mellowed, and the ever-present weeds
just peering through the ground are up
rooted and destroyed. This narrowing is
continued till the corn is three or four
inches above the ground, and the stalks
so thinned that maximum yield of corn
is insured As a result the weeds are
largely vanquished, the corn is pushed
to most vigorous growth, so that it on
" remains to cultivate the crop with a
spring tooth cultivator till it becomes toe
large to work. Thus all hand labor Is
avoided, weeds are very scarce, even IN
the rows, and good crop is secured
We must be sure to so thin our corn as
to secure maximum yield of grain.
This will also add to the value of the
stalks Prof. A. j. Cook, in "Silos and
Silage."