The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-05-25
Agricultural Department
CONDUCTED BY FULTON s. WHITE

corn following the harrow with some
Of our improved corn cultivators.
General Remarks.
We are sorry that space will not ner-
NIT of more detailed treatment of tbis
matter, but as the ground has been so
nearly covered under other headings We
Will only treat the subject in a general
way. As to how to plant corn all de-
pends upon the location and general
CONDITIONS. As rule, drill corn. If the
soil Is prepared we'll before planting will
yield the greatest crops But the farmer
must know his soil conditions so we'll
mat he will be able to figure as TO
whether the measured yield will paw for
the extra labor it may require over
check planting to cultivate the drill corn
Check-rowed corn is more cheaplv eul-
tiNated. unless the soil Is cultivated as
II should be before planting The dis
lance apart for rows and the distance
between hills and stalks is also n local
matter, depending entirely upon soil CON
ultions. When to plant is also another
local matter. In sections subject to
drouth. the planting should be done as
early in the season as the soil and
weather will allow. In many of our corn
growing states paintings may be made
from April mp to July, and in our more
southern states paintings may begin in
February and be continued up to july
drouth does not interfere with such
planting. Corn is also grown In sections
so far north that paintings may be made
until June.
VErieties.
The matter of varieties Is also very
important one and should be well eonsid-
cred This Is also largely a local matter
Where a farmer has a season of from
100 to 100 days to grow and mature a
81 pf ha
| for him to plant some Of our little sixty
! day varieties. unless such sections are
subject to drouth is sometimes the
case; and II the farmer is almost GER
! tain of drouth. then he Tad better plant
at least a part of his crop to some of
the early varieties. But my plan is to
use, as far as possible, all the advantages
that nature has given an so to use
| all the growing season In producing as
| large a variety of corn as it Is safe to
risk The practical farmer can quickly
| see the force of this argument by COM
! pairing an ear Of corn seven inches long,
matured in from sixty to seventy days.
with the ear which has been 100 to 100
| days in maturing and measures ten to
| twelve inches In length. But in sections
where there is only sixty TO seventy days
| for growing and maturing corn, the
| farmer would be very unwise in plant
| ing the 100-day corn.
| But some one is always ready with the
| old question: Which is best, white or
] yellow corn? There are many farmers
| who believe that yellow corn Is far su-
! perior to white for feeding purposes.
| We cannot see where they get any sup
| port for such argument, for repeated ex-
perments have shown that there is no
advantage whatever in yellow corn over
white for food for either man or beast.
| There is no argument whatever in favor
| of growing yellow corn in preference to
1T. i
proven that more white corn may be
grown on the same size plot than can
/ be grown of yellow corn. The largest
yield of corn ever produced in this coun-
try was grown from white seed.
White corn will meet every require
ment that the yellow corn WILL and one
more, which is that it will make the
best corn for milling purposes. Our
millers are anxious to see our white corn
/ improved and high grade, pure white
| corn only grown for milling purposes.
] Mlllers are willing to pay more for such
| corn. and pure white corn often sells for
6 cents per bushel more than the yellow.
| We can point to farmers who take con-
! tracts with milers for growing pure
white corn for milling purposes at adj
| yanced prices or prices higher than the
market. But such farmers are at great
disadvantage in trying to keep their corn
pure, because their neighbors will per-
sist in the growing Of yellow corn In
seed growing we have offered to give
farmers whose land Joined our high
grade seed free, so as not to have our
corn mixed, and in many places they
would not plant this pure seed when
offered to them free. How many farmers
ever stop to think how far will
mix? We fully believe that under favor
able circumstances. pollen will travel five
miles, perhaps further, and lodge in
other fields and thus leave It's impression,
character and color where it lodges
The white varieties should be pre-
ferred for all purposes. In selecting pure
white varieties of corn we always reject
white varieties having red cobs.
Seed and Seed Selection.
| For advice on saving seed we will refer
| the reader to what we have said In the
former pages of this bulletin. The same