The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-19

Corn Culture
This crop is worthy of consideration for
several reasons. Indian corn. or maize
Is one Of the leading species Of the great
grass FAMILY Although it was not known
among the food products of the world m
I'll 1t was found among the Indian tribes
of North America, it is now among the
most important of these says the Farm
ana Ranch. The corn of the Rible
and of ancient history simply meant the
grain OF any of the cereals which were
then used for bread among the people.
IL Is sun so used in most countries and
languages. In America, and particularly
IN the United States, it is used as more
convenient name for maize. We shall so
use 1t in this article
Its Nature.-Corn belongs to the endo-
gems, or inside growers. That is il grows
by the development of the embryo CON
tents. 1t does not take on or add branches
from without. Every blade. the tassal
the shoots, ana the cobs with their pos
slbilities of grain, all exist in the embryo
The full stalk is simply the development
OF these. 1t gets its size by enlargng
from within.
This knowledge is important to the
farmer and explains why a little pin
worm can pierce young plant, and by
eating the little speck containing the
future ear and tassel. destroy the stalk.
This once destroyed, can never be re-
newed. Hence where the budworm has
pierced the stalk, it is worthless 1t is
just as harmful 10 other stalks as any
weed. The prudent farmer will at once
destroy oil such, and use all means to
prevent the budworm from growing and
multiplying in his soil. They are eener-
ally produced from eggs carried through
the winter in the stems of weeds and
grasses.
Fail Preparation.-Thi great source of
danger may be largely discounted by fall
blowing and frequent narrowing The
weeds and grass are thus rotted, the eggs
exposed and destroyed. This method is
much better than burning, because it
greatly adds to the supply of plant food
available for the corn plant and much
more thoroughly destroys the eggs We
nave dwet upon this point because the
first requisite in growing a fun crop of
corn Is securing perfect stand AS al
ready intimated, land intended for corn
should be prepared the season before.
Growing clover or pea vines is excellent
preparation. Then in the early fan turn
the land eight or ten inches deep and
follow with subsoil pillow four to SIX
inches deeper. Harrow repeatedly until
spring.
Manurng.-Some weeks before planting
spread manure or fertilizer broadcast and
harrow in four or five inches. Thus you
Will have prepared q rootbed suited to the
heavy demands soon to be made upon it..
Corn roots will go down into this bed from
five to six feet searching for food and
water Corn Is what we call gross feed
err 1t will use a great deal of plant food,
especially phosphoric acid and potash.
This latter element is most lacking in
many soils and should be supplied in lib
eral quantities.
Not only will corn roots go deep down
s.,tA : ~ soil 1,tat Ises
tances laterally seeking food and water.
Corn blades are so constructed that they
throw off great quantities of water. 1t
takes about 100 pounds of water to pro-
duce a pound of dry corn grain. Hence
to get fifty bushels of corn per acre win
require the roots to supply about 5000 900
pounds of water per acre. This will re-
qure deep soil Shallow soil on hard sub
soil will not do this unless in very rainy
seasons.
Planting-We porfer for most land. to
harrow the soil thoroughly and plant with
out bedding. using a good corn planter.
Rows should be from four to four and
one-half feet, and the COIN thick enough
10 give about 1909 stalks to the acre. II
is difficult to produce more than one full
ear per stalk average. Hence a large
yield can only be secured by having a
large number of stalks This crowding
of the stalks, about fifteen to eighteen
sufficient depth OF soil. Water IL the main
question and this will be found If the
soil Is deep Early planting Is best. AS
soon az frost Is over. plant
Cuhivaton-This should he rapid and
shallow. A weeder run over just as the
corn is coming up. and every seven DAYS
until il is two feet high. Is a cheap and
satisfactory way of making rapid growth
Then flush out the middles a few times
| until the tassels begin TO appear. Sow
peas the last time The hoe will have
some work to do in securing proper stand,
and I'm destroying some weeds and grass.
This should be done prompty--the more
promptly, the less labor and cost and the
greater benefit to the corn.
Saving The Crop-Recent experiments 90
to settle the long mooted question of pull
ing fodder This laborious and expensive
work need no longer be done When the
fodder is fully ripe, cut and shock with
corn and fodder on. After four TO six weeks
when thoroughly dried, haul to the barn
or stack for shredder always with a view
10 the shredding. These shredders viii
take Off the ears, and'make hay of the
stalks. fodder and shucks This hay is
equal to any and cheap, and worth about
as much as the grain. In this way you
can add about one-third to the value of
the corn crop.
The Value Of the Corn Crop-we cannot