The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1905-04-15

termined in part by simple mechanical exami-
nation. The proportion of hard, tinty part
Of kernel 10 soft starch ut the top of the kernel
and under the germ indicates per cent. of pro-
trin and starch in the kernel. The size of
the germ indicates the approximate proper
ton OF oil and protein. In selecting seed it
is Il good plan to select ears having kernels
with good sized chit or germ. These breed
ing experiments have proved that the amounts
of protein, oil and starch may be varied by the
corn breeder, both to increase or decrease any
one of these elements of composition. The
development of milk producing qualities in
the dairy breeds, or the per cent. of sugar in
the sugar beet indicates what may be accom-
pished by corn selection.
Culture.
The third important feature in the produc-
ton of a corn crop is the culture; that is, the
preparing of seed bed, kind of planting and
cultivation. The preparation of the seed bed
should be of such nature as to furnish the
requirements for termination of the seed corn;
moisture, warmth and air. The depth and
time Of plowing, the floating, dsking and
narrowing of the seed bed must vary with the
soil and climate. However, the general prin.
ciples of "a thorough fitting of the soil, des
troying the weeds before the corn is planted
and the securing of n mulch to prevent the
escape of soil moisture, are the foundations Of
successful corn culture.
Distance Apart Of Hills.
In planting corn, the distance apart Of th'
rows and hills i'll the row is important. Th
| general tendency is to bring the hills close
| together and plant fewer kernels in the hill
Ten years ago the ordinary width planter wa
at least 8 feet 10 inches, and varied to as wild
as feet inches. Today the most popula
width planter is 3 feet inches, varying to ii
narrow as feet inches. To show the rea
son for this bringing together of the rows,
3 foot inch planter will plant 3240 hills i,
an acre. A 3 foot inch planter, just two
inches closer together, will plant 1856 hill
per acre, gain of 3lG hills. If these hill:
contain two well developed ears, this would
mean gain of about nine bushels per acre
Number of Stalks in Hill.
With improved seed it is not necessary Il
plant large number of kernels in the hill
The latest improved planters are so arranged
that if set to drop two kernels in a hill, abou
90 per cent. of the hills will be found TO con
tain two kernels. With improved seed corn,
at least, 81 per cent of the kernels will pro
duce stalks, so that, if two kernels are put in
a hill, we are certain of securing two stalks
As the seed corn becomes more and more
improved, we can depend on every stalk pro
ducing an ear. When this condition is Sc.
cured, two stalks in the hill will produce as
large Weld per acre as the soil can yield in a
season: so that the evolution of the number OF
stalks per hill is toward less stalks TO the hill,
an average of about two stalks per hill giving
best results
Killing VS.. Drilling.
In new country, the usual practice is to
drill corn. With few noXouS weeds. with
abundant soil fertility, the farmer was able to
put in more stalks in an acre than would be
possible in hilled corn, and the results were
generally satisfactory. However, as the most
destructive and harmful of weeds spread over
the corn belt, it was found to be difficult to
get rid of them in drilled corn. AS the ex-
cessive fertility was drained out of the soil by
continual cropping, the large number of stalks
became detrimental; so that the tendency is
away from drilling back to the old plan OF
planting in hills.
Many farmers contend that by stringlng out
the kernels in the row of drilled corn, the
stalk will produce better ears than In the hills.
With the idea of trying to ascertain the facts,
the Illinois station carried on a series of ex-
periments for several years. The experiment
was so arranged that an equal amount of
ground was given TO drilled corn and hilled
corn. The same number of stalks in the hill
were strung out in the row of drilled corn.
The corn was all thinned after planting, so
that we secured all equal nber of stalks i'll
the drilled field as in the hilled field. The
fields were kept free from weeds, and the
same cultivation given in both cases. The
experiment was repeated with different soils,
varieties of corn and seasons. As result
we found in figuring up the average yields,
there was less than a bushel difference in the
Yields the drilled and hiiled fields. Further
experiments are in progress along this line,
which will add TO the interest of the expert
ment. But it is safe to say that there is little
difference in yields in the two practices, and
that one system has little advantage over the
other, up to four stalks in the hill. With i'm
proved seed, it is not necessary to plant this
number of kernels in the hill. In view of the
great advantage of hilled corn during cultiva-
ton, the evidence is largely in favor of the
practice of hilliag.
The depth of planting is another question
which varies with the soil condition. Corn
can be planted deeper in sandy soil which
drains out readily in the spring and warns
up quickly, than in the heavier clay soil. The
corn should be planted deep enough to secure
sufficient moisture for the best germiuation,
but not so deep that it will be placed in a cold,
wet soil, where the kernel is liable to rot and
decay, ana, IN any event, 10 cause prOlracteu
termination, which is injurious to the plant.
No matter what depth the seed is planted,
the roots branch ont at about a constant dis
tance from the surface. In ordinary prairie
loan this distance is between two and three
inches. If the kernel is set down lower than
this point it sends out a root system, which
develops a tube-like structure, reaching to
within two or three inches of the surface AT
this point the real root system branches out,
the stem of the plant is sent to the. air, and
the first root system decays and is lost. Such
a condition must result disastrously to the
young plants, and reduce the yield of the crop.
Cultivation of Corn.
The cultivation of the corn crop must de-
pend upon the condition of seasons, soil, and
the amount of weeds in the field. The cult.
vation of the crop is for the purpose Of de
stroying weeds, conserving soil moisture, and
aerating the soil. The weediness of the fele
will depend upon the work done on the sect
bed. If the seed bed has been properly han
died preparatory to planting, most of the weed
will have been destroyed, so that the principa
object of cultivation is that of conserving til,