Milford chronicle., 1909-07-09
Making Money
On the Farm
ILL., Corn Culture
By G. v. GREGORY.
Author Of "flOme Course In Modern
Agriculture"
Copyright. 1909. by American Press
Association

"REPARATION TO raise a large
crop Of corn should begin in the
fall Of the previous year. PlOw-
ing for the crop should by all
means be done the fall before if posi-
Bile. Weed seeds will sprout and be
killed by frost. Insects that are hiher-
mating in the ground will meet the
same fate. Frost is one of the farm
er's best friends in many ways. The
effect Of freezing on the exposed plow-
ing is to crumble It more thoroughly
than could be done by half a dozen
diskings. If the land is clover sod, as
It should be if the highest yield is to
be expected the freezing will break up
the sod better than can be done in any
other way In some cases, however,
where there IS considerable late fall
growth that is available for fall and
winter pasture, It is better to let the
plowing go until spring, even if it does
make a little more work getting it in
shape
Gathering Seed Corn.
Even more important than fall plow-
ing is the selection Of seed corn early
in the fall and storing it carefully for
the winter The plan Of going through
the field early and picking the seed in
a sack is sometimes advocated but on
most farms this is too much Of an un-
dertaking. better way is to go out
and husk a load as soon as it is fairly
we'll ripened and before any very hard
frosts come. If this is picked from the
best part of the field there ought to be
at least three or four bushels of good
seed ears in it. These can be sorted
out and the remainder spread over the
bottom OF the crib or fed to the hogs.
Half a dozen such loads win usually
furnish all the seed needed 1t is a
good plan to save about twice as much
seed as win be required, so that selec-
tion can be more rigid in the spring.
If there are no very severe freezes
before husking begins in earnest some
more seed corn can be saved by put
ting a box on the side Of the wagon, in
which the best ears may be thrown. A
better quality Of seed may be obtained
in this way because Of a wider range
Of selection. 1t is not safe to depend
on it entirely, howeRer, because a hard
freeze when the corn is full of moisture
may kill the germs and make 1t worth
less for seed. The first thing to do
with newly gathered seed is to hang
it up where it can dry out quickly
An open shed is the best place for
this, as the air can circulate readily
while the roof keeps off the frost. A
good way to hang the corn is to tie
a number Of ears on a long binding
twine. After the corn is well dried
out and before extremely cold weather
comes It should be put in the storage |
room. The attic is a good place, pro
vided there is some provision for ven
tilation. II the corn is dry some freez- !
ing viii not hurt it. but cold and |
moisture together are very injurious
Selecting and Testing.
Along in February the corn should be |
sorted. picking out only those ears Of
fair size. well filed at the butts and |
tips and symmetrically shaped through |
out. Further instructions for selecting |
corn will be given in article g. After |
the corn is sorted n few ears should |
be taken from number Of ears in diff |
ferent parts Of the seed room and test |
ed A fold Of moist flannel between |
two dinner plates makes a good tester
Put the corn between the layers OF
cloth and set it in some out Of tb
Wav place in the living room In thre /
or four days it will be ready to exam
RU