Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1905-04-28
How Many Stalks of Corn to The
Acre.

| "0 Puo IA0 AuO5tAOAs AOW "oAy
stalks of corn to the acre7" rather
than, How many grains to the hill p
because some of our readers use q
three foot eight inch planter, some list,
some list and check, and some drill
without listing. The essential thing,
therefore, is to find out how many
stalks of corn man should grow to
the acre. Comparatively little atten.
tion has been paid to this subject. In
fact, we did not hear it discussed on
any of the corn trains last year, al.
though not being able to attend any
this year the matter may have been
discussed quite fully. Inssmuch as
other matters are even more impor.
tsnt, we assume that this is q compar.
atively new question.
1t is one that cannot be determined
for all farmers or for all countries OF
for all soils or for all sections. 1t de-
pends on the amount of moisture that
is generally available, on the fertility
of the land, on its physical condition,
on the purpose for which the corn is
grown, whether for the grain or for
grain and forage combined or for
silage. 1t depends also on the slope of
the land and it's exposure to drying
winds in July and August All these
are factors to be taken into considera-
tion, and the only man who can con.
slider them to any good purpose is the
farmer himself. We can only give
certain principles which we think
should guide him.
Farmers in some parts of the south
plant but one stalk to the hill. and
many Of them plant their rows four
feet apart. the reason being that the
soil will not grow more than that
number of stalks. Farmers who have
lands that are worn out can't safely
plant as many stalks to the hill as
those who have rich, fertile soils. Corn
planted on inferior soils, especially if
badly worn and having southern e7-
posure, will not stand as heavy plant.
ing as land of the same fertility having
northern exposure, for the reason
that it is more likely to fire in case of
drouth occurring in July and August.
The farmer who is growing corn for
grain exclusively wants big ears and
the greatest proportion of ear to the
stalk, he having no use for the stalk
except as a harbor for chinch bugs and
a field for exercise for his cattle in the
winter. 1t is easier to husk a large
ear than nubbin, and the nubbin is
likely to be missed anyhow. So this
man should plant thinner than the
man who intends to harvest his corn
for silage or fodder.
The cattle feeder don't want the
ears to be too large. He wants more
of them, and besides wants a good deal
of fodder. The man who is planting
for the silo is planting for the total
value of the crop, and he, to, can af-
ford to plant thicker than the man
who grows the corn for the grain ex.
clusively. He don't want the ears so
large that they will be broken off by
the harvester, because this involves q
very considerable waste. We had corn
last year in which the harvesters
knocked off ten or twelve bushels per
acre. It was very large type of corn
and on account of the very abundant
moisture of the season the ears we're
unusually large.
Three stalks to the hill on a three
foot eight inch planter means 9,720
stalks, and we think that on ordinary
Iowa soils this is all that it will be
safe to plant in an ordinary season,
and more than it will be safe to plant
in Kansas and Nebraska. especially
after you get few countries west of