Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1903-05-01
Aarlfaltnral.
CORN GROWING.
Agricultural Epitomist.

Agricultural Epitomist.
Upon this subject l do not claim su-
perior knowledge over that possessed by
many who have been all their lives en-
gagged in agricultural pursuits; but,
with all my experience in growing corn,
find can learn something new about
the business every year, and think we
can all be benefited by interchange of
experience. First, in growing corn,
the ground should be as rich as can be
obtained. If not SO by nature it should
be made so BY good husbandry. 1t GER
tainly should be we'll underdrained, for
a good corn crop cannot be grown upon
land that is wet and sour. Rich, I'M
derdrained clover sod should be used, if
possible, as it gives fresh, loose soil
easily cult sated and kept clean of weeds.
Besides, the decayed sod furnishes good
food for the growing plants, which hast
ems the growth at the proper time.
| regulate the depth OF blowing ac-
cording to the kind of soil. In black
bottom land | pillow from seven to eight
inches deep, but in clay land from four
to six inches. The blowing should be
done as early as possible in the spring,
that the ground may become settled,
which greatly helps retain moisture in
dry seasons. do not approve of late
blowing for corn. After blowing the
sod. it should be gone over with spring
tooth or disc harrow and thoroughly pull
verified, so that plank drag will make
the surface perfectly smooth
1t is q great mistake not to have the
ground made fine and put in perfect
condition. Second, and very important,
is the time of planting. know some
farmers who try to beat their neighbors
and be the first to plant their corn, be-
fore the ground is in proper shape or
tho atmosphere is in proper condition
Corn should be planted in this latitude
from the LIST to the 18th Of May when
it will be most likely to produce a good
crop, for it must have certain degree
OF heat and moisture 70 insure rapid
growth, and it will germinate very slow
ly if at all when the ground is cold and
we and the air is cool If planted at
the right time and under proper condi-
ton corn will come up 10 FIVE or six
days
The next important thing is the selec
ton of seed. select my seed corn al
husking time and put it in place where
it can be thoroughly dried before freez'
ing weather comes Corn thus selected
aud dried will scarcely ever fail to germ
mate and produce healthy plant
plant at as nearly a uniform depth al
possible; from two 20 three inches il
deep enough commence to cultivate
as soon as the plants are large enough
to admit of it, and keep it up continu
ally until harvest work interferes, wheI
stop for the season prefer cult
vator with very small shovels this
when rightly handled, strs all the sol
between the rows. and can be run yer,
close to the small corn without damag
ing it, leaving the surface smooth an,
level The main objects in cultivation
are to break the crust so as to proven
too much evaporation of moisture frou
the soil, aud to destroy weeds. thin
my corn to three stalks in hill, gener
ally after a rain, when the stalks ar,
small ] find that when good method
Of growing corn are practiced the farmer
is generally rewarded with fair yield
Louis Campbell, Newark, Ohio.