The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1909-09-02

BY
III. Z. BLAKESLEE.


Corn being the king of the cereal
crop OF the United States, there
should be greater effort made than
is being made at the present to i'm
prove the quality and quantity OF
this important crop. The total
yield for the whole country for 1908
was 2,642,6S7. 900 bushels, or an
average of 1872 bushel per acre.
Over one-half the corn crop of the
United States comes from We states
and something like two-thirds from
seven states, which are given in the
following order: Illinois, Iowa, Me-
braska, Missouri, Kansas, Indiana
and Ohio. The average yield of
these seven states is about 35 bush
els per acre.
There are several reasons why the
average yield per acre of the Mis-
sissippi lands are so much lower
than the seven corn surplus States.
1t must be admitted that the soil
and climate of those States are bet
ter adapted to the growth of corn
than the soil and climate of our
State, yet there are several other
conditions influencing the yield
which are absolutely under the con-
troll of the farmer. The common rule
of the Mississippi farmer is to Sc
lect the best looking ears for seed
from what corn that may happen to
remain in the crib at planting time,
plant on freshly prepared bed,
made with a six or eight hundred
pound mule and Georgia stock"
and after the crop is up, it is culti-
waited with the same outfit, possibly
just little deeper than when the
land was prepared, thus cutting off
the feeding root, and finally laying
by when the corn is about waist
high, leaving it on high ridges to be
dried out by the sun and wind
Along the lines that we may do
to improve the yield are: LIST selec-
ton of better seed; End, lettering
the condition of the soil; 3rd, bet
ter cultivation. The first is inexpen-
sive and probably the most neglect
ed. A few hours spent in the. field
just before gathering time, selecting
the best ears from the best stalks
would give enough seed for the next
crop, which would pay big returns
for the trouble and the time spent
in making the selection. The lar
gest yields of grain are usually made
from varieties producing two ears
on one stalk, and if such a variety
is desired then seed should be saved
only from stalks bearing two ears.
The uniformity of the stalk from
which the ears are taken is as much
to be desired as is the uniformity
of the ears themselves.
After the seed has been selected
the ears should be husked, thorough
ly dried and put in some dry place
in the barn free from rats. For
small quantities, putting it in GRO
Gus sacks and hanging to the rafters
is a good method.
While it is true that proper at
tention to seed selection will great
ly increase the average production
per acre, it is equally true that the
cultivation of corn on very poor
land will be found Improbable.
Growing crops on poor soil is just
as expensive as growing them on
fertile soil. No man who is cultivating
poor soil and harvesting poor crops
can successfully compete wit his
neighbor who is cultivating rich
soil with the same expenditure of
labor and capital. On very poor land
corn growing should not be attempt
ed until it is brought into fertile
condition by the growing and plow-
ing under of 1eguminious crops. the
application of manures etc. After
the soil is in a condition to produce
profitable crops then rotate, getting
some of the legumes on the land as
often as possible. Keep a deep rich
soil, filled with vegetable matter. and
and the failures that farmers some
times attribute to the unfavorable
conditions of the weather Will not
occur so often.
Though early cultivation is ess-
entail, in order that the young plants
may have the best possible. condi-
tions for fast growth. From the
time the seed terminate until the
crop is matured, the farmer should
see that there are no unfavorable
conditions but give the crop every
opportunity to make. steady vigor-
Gus growth. The cultivation should
be shallow and deep enough to keep
the dust mulch, never allowing the
crust to form on the surface. Ere
euent use of the smoothing harrow
and weeder should be made while
the corn is small, following these
with the double cultivator or with
the spring tooth attachments as long
as they will help the corn. Plant
ing peas between the rows at the