Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-08-01
is HOPE FOR CORN.
There May Yet Be Three-Fourths of a

Des Moines, July ga special eX
animation of the corn fields in this vi
cinity, between Des Moines and Ames
and on the State Agricultural college
farm, greatly strengthens the hope for
about three-fourths of a crop. The
stories that have been printed about
the great damage to corn in central
Iowa, about it's being turned yellow
and the pollen in the tassels all kill
ed, are, to say the least, greatly ex-
aggerated. The early planted corn,
which has been in full tassel for some
days, has been most injured. A great
deal of this corn is not showing it's
ears as promptly as it should. Some
of the top leaves have been turned
white, but this is the exception. even
with early corn. In some fields the
pollen on many plants has been des-
troyed. The later planted corn, which
is just beginning to tassel, will not
be greatly injured if rain comes within
a few days. Many of the fields do not
show particle of damage and many
others only little.
Nature is very prolific in her seed"
said ]. R. Sage, director of the Iowa
weather and crop service, who made
| personal inspection of the corn on
the college farm between Ames and
Des Moines Friday. ''If only one-third
fof the pollen remains it is sufficient
to fertilize the entire field.
| We can spare a great deal
of it and still get fully de.
veloped ears. The ears do not come at
the same time the tassels appear, so
there need not be any great alarm
about that. | do not deny that corn
has suffered heavy losses, but l do
| say that If we get rain now within a
| few days We shall have a good three
| fourth's crop.
Another Optimist.
! Prof. C. F. Curtiss, director of the
experimental station. is another opti-
mist on the corn crop. He believes
there will be a fair crop if there is
rain within week or ten days. The
corn on the college farm is standing
the drouth remarkably we'll and shows
| little damage, although some of the
grain men have sent out reports to
the effect that it was all gone up.
Prof Curtiss is also believer in the
late cultivation of corn as an antldote
for drouth, and it has been practiced
on the college farm.
| Cultivation of corn at this season
should be done with great care said
Prof. Curtiss. "or the corn will be in
jured more than it is helped. Care
must be taken not to go too close to
the stalks or to go too deep. The
roots which nourish the corn must be
near the top of the ground and they
must not be cut The purpose of plow-
| i,,o lou Sc tn
ton of moisture. Where cracks from
the wind goes into them and dries the
soil down foot or two. By lightly
stirring the soil on top these cracks
are filled, weeds are killed and the
corn is greatly benefited. We have
just finished the cultivation of a field
of corn in this manner But if the cuI-
tivator goes too deep it often results in
the killing or weakening of the corn
plant.
Pollen From Suckers.
/ 1t is noticeable that the corn is put.
ting out suckers to some extent, which
will furnish pollen later on, providing
the ears form well to receive it. Prof
Curtiss thinks that this pollen is not
as good g. quality as that which comes
originally from the top of the main
stalk, and besides it weakens the plant
to put out suckers, because it uses
strength which should be put into the
formation of ears.
4 Burned Pastures Not Total Loss.
The pastures are everywhere as
brown as they will ever be, but Prof
Curtiss says that this is not necessar
lily total loss or anywhere near it
because where the pastures have not
been too closely fed down the dried
grass which is left is simply a good
quality of hay, cured on the ground
which the cattle will eat and flourish
on. Out on the western ranges he says
the cattle men do not expect theil
stock to make much gain until the
grass gets dry and cured and looks
about as Iowa pastures do now. From
/, ; that time on cattle make their bes
gains and they like the dried grass
or hay.