The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1895-04-18

ty IS we'll suited 10 corn anu Will raise
good crop under certain conditions.
The soil is not as rich in humus as
the darker colored lands of the corn
States, but crops on these sandy
loans appear to stand more drouth
because they do not run together and
bake like the blacker soils. The light
loans will also stand much manure,
but to get the good out of it for corn,
it must be we'll rotted before put on.
[ am aware that most farmers here
haul their manure as made in the
winter, and it no doubt saves much
hauling, but one of the best corn
raisers I am acquainted with in the
county, burns all the long parts be-
fore blowing, and from his success in
corn raising 1 am compelled to believe
it good practice. Certainly a lot Of
long manure must cause more porosity,
and more evaporation from an already
dry soil and the potash in the ashes
furnishes quicker food and stimulus
to the growing corn. believe we
shall have to pillow under some green
manure on our old land, quit burning
straw, and keep stock enough to turn
it into manure or else 60 out of the
business. Of course for the present,
artificial fertilizers are out of the ques-
ton, both on account of their high
price, and the low general price of
corn. It remains for us therefore to
select the most suitable soil we have,
put on what manure we can make and
do the best we can under the circum-
stances.
Second, blowing. Much depends
on the kind of soil as to how deep our
blowing shall be- done, and whether it
shall be done in spring or fall. If
the land is somewhat heavy and in
clining to clay, and not needing ma
nure, should pillow it in the fall, as
fall blowing holds moisture better
than that:plowed in spring, but if the
land is to be MANFRED in the winter,
Of course it must be plowed in spring.
AS to the depth to pillow for corn,
both theory snd experience agree that
corn needs deeper blowing than
small grain, as its roots are larger and
run deeper, but this deepening if
much increased, should be- done in
the fall so that the newly turned up
soil can be acted upon by the winter
weather. This year l intend to try
an experiment on a few acres. l am
making stone puller to be drawn by
two or three horses, and I shall use it
as subsoiler to follow another team,
and break up the bottom of the furrow,
and not bring the subsoil to the top.
If l live, I will report results either
good or bad. On the untitled lands
of central Illinois, the best farmers
pillow about five inches deep, but
where tiled, deeper blowing has been
found beneficial, and I thinks that on
our drier lands, to break up the sub
soil will enable corn to root deeper
and get more moisture.
3. Planting. Where small pieces
of corn only are planted, a hand
planter can be made to do the work,
after first preparing the land, and
marking in checks with marker. Of
course, where large fields are planted,
the horse planter and checkrower will
be used, and is by far the more eco
lomical plan, but the ordinary planter
for the corn belt is hardly suitable
for Minnesota. AS we are obliged to
raise smaller, earlier corn, our row S
may be closer together, and the drop
ping hole should be smaller so as
not to plant too thick. I have reduced
the width of my planter, from three
feet eight to three feet four inches,
which will make difference of over
$50 hills to the acre. Experience
shows that an average of two or three
stalks to the hill is thick enough and
if more are allowed to grow it is a
detriment to the crop. Experience al