Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1898-02-19
FARM AND GARDEN.
MATTERS OF INTEREST TO
AORscULTURALiST.
Some Up-to-Sate Hints Abou, Cuitiva-
tion of the Soil and Yields Thereof
Horticuituzs. viticulture and FIori-
culture.
Corn Culture

Corn Culture
The great increase In the number of
silos Of late years has greatly in
creased the acreage OF corn and each
succeeding year farmers who have
never grown corn for fodder before
viii grow 1t to greater or less ex-
tent, and those who have grown 1t for
years will increase the amount Of corn
grown.
Where to Plant.-To answer this
question satisfactorily we must know
the life history and needs OF the plant.
we learn that 1t is a native weed of
America; that its home is In Guate-
mala, where 1t grows as of old; from
there 1t was introduced by some In
dian or early traveller into every state
OF the Union and Canada. Thus 1t Is
seen that IL is tropical plant, and to
get 1t to grow to perfection we must
give 1t as near natural conditions as
possible. To obtain these we must
plant it upon freshly decaying sod
tcloyer lis the best, in warm soil. with
a fair degree of moisture. but not wet.
The land must be thoroughly prepar-
ed, and to obtain this ii must be plant
ed in the fall and cultivated thoroughly
In the spring. SO as to start every
weed seed that is in the surface soil.
1t is better to cultivate In spring
rather than to pillow, because all grass
that was turned down the fall before
will be kept more readily in check,
and instead Of turning up the damp.
cold subsoil we get deep. warm seed
bed and are enabled to plant week
or ten days earlier: also when the soil
is managed in this way 1t is better en-
abled to Withstand drouth.
Time to Sow.-Sow as soon as the
soil is thoroughly prepared. having
given sufficient time between cultiva-
ton to allow all weed seeds to sprout.
and when danger of frost Is past. Sow
with the common seed drill, two
sprouts to the drill. OF IL 1t be Of a
small variety three may be left Open
Sow at the rate of from one to one
and a half pecks to the acre. Put In
couple Of inches deep. II dry
weather is feared IL Is well to roll.
few days after sowing a light harrow
should be run over the field to break
the crust and TO kill weeds. and again
as the plants are coming UP, and at
intervals until It becomes too high. II
is better to drag In the afternoon, as
the stocks are tougher then. II the
harrow is heavy or the field soft or
full of grass roots this narrowing Will
often do more harm than good. as
much Of the corn will be pulled up. IL
suitable harrow is not at hand one
can be easily made by taking three 2x6
pine boards and boiling them together
in the form of a triangle and stuodlng
them with seven-inch wire nails
driven up to the head. IL the nails
are slanted backward they will not be
so likely to tear out the corn. When
too high to harrow start the horse hoe
and keep it going through the sum
mer, not only as a weed cleaner. but
also to keep the soil loose, so that 1t
will retain the moisture. The culti-
walton should be shallow. so that the
roots will not be injured. A harrow
made something like the one described
but small enough to go between the
rows. is one of the best tools for cul-
tiyating the corn. The different kinds
of weeders with long vibrating teeth
are coming rapidly into use. With
these the corn can be raked until 1t is
over two feet high, and thus promotes
great economy in cultivation.
/ In order 10 get good returns we must
keen weeds down and keep the surface
well stirred to retain the moisture,
and this latter point Is very import
ant just after rain in order to break
the crust. When the corn is six or
eight feet high 1t is useless to continue
! working. II is better to sow rye at the
rate of two bushels to the acre and
work II with light cultivators. This
rye will grow rapidly when the corn
| is removed. afford a good fall pastur-
age. prevent teaching and washing
away Of plant food. and forms a nice
/ sod to be turned under in the spring.
which will be OF great use in supply
| ing humus to the succeeding crop.
| Varieties.-Sow as a staple crop
some variety which has proved itself
adapted to your locality. Where the
season is long the large varieties ms
Red Cob Ensilage and Mammoth
Southern Sweet will doubtless mature
sufficient for the silo. For a middle
section Mammoth Cuban is probably
one of the best, Leaning Layers
North Dakota. High Mixed and Grant
Prolific are good. while for a more
northern section an earlier corn. as
Longfellow or Compton's Early, would
be better. G. F. NJ.