The Colfax chronicle., 1900-06-23
FARMER AND PLANTER.
CULTURE OF TIE CORN CROP.
Conditions to be Observed I'm Order
to Produce Satisfactory Re-
suits with Corn.

To come at the crop properly, we
must begin with the land long before
planting the corn. 1t is now too late
for this; about the best we can do
this year, is to commence short time
before the planting, and during the
year lay plans for the crop next year
As to the amount of work that should
be done on land before planting, de-
rends very much on the kind of soil.
A dark loamy soil that will not run
together after hard rain, should be
put in the finest possible condition be-
:ore planting. There are two objects
ia this, fine seed bed, and the en-
couragement of the termination of
weed seed and their destruction. A
complete working of the surface, "
least of the soil, should be had just
before planting. This gives the corn
time to start, before the weeds get q
fold. Sometimes, on accout-of vines
in some black soils, it is necessary
to delay plowing, till planting time,
and then follow the plow with the
planter. We have known such land to
Lc plowed early, and planted at the
usual time, the farmer finding that it
was almost impossible to get clean
cultivation.
The most of us have to do with soil
that is not as rich as we would like
hor as dark with umus. In much Of
these lands, if we get a dark color,
we must put it there. The farmer
owning and working dark loamy soils,
Knows nothing of the vexations and
discouragements that have come to
the corr grower ON clay lands. 1t re-
quires rare Judgment and guess work,
to know just when to cease the work
t.f preparation for corn crop on clay
land. Oftentimes perfect seed bed
Gin be had without excessive labor,
,ut the question arises as to the ad-
visibility of this high state of perfec-
ton. A soaking rain may come, and
cause it all to run together into one
solid mass, that is too hard on top for
the corn shoots to get through with
out help, whereas less work on the
land would have left the clods melted,
and not run together, or baked. This
is troublesome question with many
of us. To escape such results. wholly,
cr in part, we have to get away to a
great extent from tn cold practice of
not working the corn till 1T is large
enough to plow, and commence work.
ing it before it is up. BY this plan the
crusting of the soil is prevented, and
the corn gets through without being
checked. This working of the soil let's
the air in and hastens termination.
We can remember when three plow-
ings, with possibly one narrowing,
was thought to be all the work the
corn needed between planting and
harvesting. 1t is most universally con-
ceded now that more is required. As
rule, farmers put out more corn
than they can properly cultivate. Cal
culating that every day will be good,
we are often disappointed, and dis
estrous results often come from rainy
weather.
as to the kind of tools best adapted to
this work. The widest divergence is
in regard 20 deep and shallow cultiva-
ton. Another wide difference lies in
the choice between the riding and
walking cultivator. The tendency of
| the times is in the direction OF rapid
work. This gives the riding cultivator
a point in advance of the other, for the
plowman can ride and drive faster
than he can walk and drive. The old
way of plowing when every plowman
held the handles, and plowed hard and
deep, is still practiced by many. This
is genuine blowing. The furrow is
deep and the corn .hilled to hold it
against rain and wind. Yet against
this stands the fact that it is not
necessary to work so hard TO obtain
best results. With. hard blowing en-
foot, man can easily work too hard
TO enjoy rest from sleep. When be
does this, he let's go the blessing of
life for the price of gold in the corn.
To go back to the stirring of the soil,
a close student of this matter will
soon learn that the stirring of the
soil is very important part. 1. may
be deep or shallow, done often, or at
wide intervals, rs the farmer may
elect or as the crowding of other work
will allow. Two points of advantage
are claimed from soil stirring. The
weeds are kept down and moisture
conserved or let loose. The best time
to kill a weed is before the farmer
sees it. The stirring of the soil brings
many weed seeds within the reach of
light and air which causes germina-
ton. Working the soil displaces
them, covers them too deep for
growth or places them on the surface
where the suns rays destroy them.
The oftener the soil is worked the
more weed seeds are destroyed. And
the deeper the soil is worked the
more seed is brought within the life