Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1909-01-07

Run corn planter on this ridge, drop
ping one grain every five or SIX
inches. Plant early, as soon as frost
danger is past, say first ~seasonable
spell after March 18th, in this section.
Especially is early planting necessary
on very rich lands where stalks can
not otherwise be prevented from
growing too large. Give first working
with harrow or any pillow that will
not cover the plant. For second
working, use ten or twelve-lnch
lsweep on both sides Of corn, whlsh
should now be about eight inches,
| high. Thin after this working. It is
mot necessary that the plants should
| be left all the same distance apart
If the right number remain to each
| yard or row.
Corn should not be. worked again
until the growth has been 81 retarded
and the stalk so hardened that it will
never grow too large. This is the
most difficult point IN the whole pro-
cess. Experience not Judgment are
required to know just how much the
stalk should be stunted, and plenty
Of nerve is required to hold back your
coTn-when your neighbors, who fer
tilted at planting time and cultivat-
ed rapidly, have corn twice the size
of yours. (They r having their
fun now. Yours will come at harvest
/ L.. L. l. o@vsn
necessary it is that the stunting pro-
cess should be thoroughly done.
When you are convinced that your
corn has been sufficiently Inundated,
you may begin to make the ear. It
should now be form twelve to eioht-
cen inches high, and look worse than
you have ever had any corn to look
before.
Put half of your mixed fertilizer
fthis being the first used at ALL IN
the old sweep furrow on both sides
Of every other middle, and cover by
breaking out this middle with turn
pillow. About one week later treat
the other middle the same way.
Within a few days side corn in first
middle with s~ixteen-inch sweep. Put
all your nitrate Of soda in this fur
row, if less than $50 pounds. If more
use one-half Of it now. Cover with
one furrow Of turn pillow, then SOW
pease in the middle broadcast at the
rate of at least one bushel to the
acre, and finish breaking out.
In a few days side corn in other
middle with same sweep. put balance
of nitrate Of soda in this furrow if
it. has been divided cover with turn
pillow, SOW peas and break out. This
lays by your crop, with a good bed
and plenty Of dirt around your stalk.
This should be from June 10th to Goth
unless season is very late, and corn
should be hardly punching for tassel.
Lay by early. More corr is ruined
by late blowing than by lack Of plow-
ing. This is when the ear is hurt.
Two good rains after laying by should
make you a good crop Of corn, and
it will certainly make with much less
rain than was required in the old
way.
The stalks thus raised are very
small and do not require anything
like the moisture even in proportion
to size, that is necessary for large
sappy stalks. They may, therefore,
be left much thicker in the row. This
is no new process. It has long been
a custom to cut back vines and trees
in order to increase the yield and
quality of fruit; and so long as you
do not hold back your corn, it will
go, like mine SO long went, all to
stalk.
Do not be discouraged by the looks
Of your corn during the process of
cultivation. It will yield out Of all
proportion to It's appearance. Large
stalks cannot make large yileds, ex-
cept with extremely favorable sea-
sons, for they cannot stand a lack of
moisture. Early applications Of man
ure go to make large stalks, which
you do not want, and the plant food
is all thus used up before the ear,
which you do want, is made. Tall
stalks not only will not produce well
themse elves, but wi! not allow you to
make the pea vines, SO necessary to
!, the Improvement of land. Corn rails
, ed by this method should never grow
over seven and one-half feet high
and the ear should be near to the
!. ground.
), [ consider the final application OF
!, nitrate of soda an essential point in
this ear-making process. It should
! always be applied at last blowing
, and unmixed with other fertilizers.
II / am satisfied with n ear to the
stalk unless a prolific variety i.
planted, and leave a hundred stalks
for every bushel that I expect t.
make. I find the sixsfoot row ~easies,
! to cultivate without injuring the corn
. For fifty bushels to the acre I leave
It sixteen inches apart; for seventy
Y bushels to the acre, twelve in