The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1903-02-26
aCorn Culture.n


The purpose of this short article is to
enable the farmer to raise corn more
proftably. Four things are to be con-
sidered in order to arrive at correct
conclusions, viz; Soil, culture, season,
and variety.
1t is Useless to expect paying crops
from poor, worn out soil. 1t is waste
Of labor, seed and fertilizer to cultivate
soil devoid of humus, planted with
view of raising grain. Rich, alluvial
bottom land is perhaps the best. Good
corn can be raised ON sod land if plow-
ed the preceding fall or winter. Any
good upland will do, if plowed deeply
and SUBSIDIZED, II corn is planted in
rows A feet apart, single stalks may
stand 2 feet apart in the row, or in hills
of stalks, 4 feet apart. If rows are
feet apart, the single stalks should be
from 10 to Sinches apart. Care should
be taken to keep suckers down, and
also to remove all barren stalks when
corn begins to ear. The time of plant
ing varies with the season, from 25th of
April to the 10th of May; the 1st of
May is usually as soon as the ground is
sufficiently warm and dry. If planted
by hand cover about 2 inches with fine
dirt, and take pains to do the work
properly. One week after planting,
harrow the field across the rows, with
a light spike tooth harrow. This is the
most important working, as it mellows
and smooths the ground, and. breaks
any crust which rains may have form
ed, and enables the young blades t
come up more evenly. AS soon as thu
corn is fairly up, and within ten o.
twelve days of planting, go over tn,
field carefully and replant all missing
hills. Unless you have a good stant
coming on together, you will fail t,
make a good crop. As soon as tn,
crop is we'll up, straddle the rows will
the harrow. After corn is 6 to inche
high, pillow thoroughly with cultivator
At intervals of two weeks, or better Of
ter every rain cultivate thoroughly, oh
serving that the blowing is more an,
more shallow as the corn gets taller
Cow peas may be planted in the row a
soon as the corn is IS inches high, o
may be sown in middles, just befor
the last blowing. II the season is yer
dry, cultivate often and shallow, as
will enable the soil to retain the mois
I ture.
The varieties of corn cultivated o
this continent are very numerous. 1
Tennessee, experience has taught tn
farmer that the various kinds of "dent,
both white and yellow, are most prof.
able. The white dents are most eager
ly sought for, by purchasers, althoug
many prefer the yellow dents for fee(
ing. The average corn crop in tn
section is less than 20 bushels per acr,
! A field producing 25 bushels per acl
is considered good, while 20 bushe
: per acre is not often raised outside {
! river bottom land. By manuring {
fertilizing good upland, it is possib
to raise from so to rs bushels, or eve
y more, with a favorable season. I'll
= Tannery Co. of johnson City raised
= field of corn in 1901, which average
/ over 81 bushels. Judge Smith ais
J raised an equally good crop on h
I Sinking Greek farm. Both Of thei
s crops might have been great deal be
s ter, as the corn had been left entire
too thick. In the above crops abo1
q 200 lbs. of fertilizer per acre was used
e If it pays to raise 20 to 30 bushels p
J. acre, to raise 40 or so bushels with Il
d same labor means 20 to 30 bushels Gle
4 profit. On field of 20 acres it won
IS mean a profit of 5000 to $500. This e
n plains why some farmers prosper viii
!, others barely live. It is not the pu
= pose OF this article to advertise al
particular corn fertilizer, but to simp
state that if you wish to obtain the be
results, you must use manure or suit
> BILE fertilizer, even on your best Ian
1t is mistake to think that good Sc
= needs no plant food to assist in produ
:. ing a good crop, as few years of spo
alton will soon impoverish the be
! land. By systematic rotation and fe
>, tilization, you can make your poor Sc
productive, and your good soil still be
: ter. But you must not expect too nut
of your thin, impoverished soil UNI
Q you have filled it with humus.
In order to stimulate the progressi
r farmers of this section to higher ideal
s~@~ &C.,