The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1909-07-02
Making Money
On the Farm
ILL., Corn Culture
By G. v. GREGORY.
Author Of Home Course IN Modern
Agriculture"
Copyright. 1909. by American Press
Association
.REPARATlON 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 hiber.
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 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, 1t is better to let the
blowing go until spring, even if it does
make 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
sack is sometimes advocated, but on
most farms this is too much of an I'M
dertaking. A better way is to go out
and husk load as soon as it is fairly
well 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
In h. ol
out and the remainder spread over the
bottom Of the crib or fed to the hogs.
Half dozen such loads will usually
furnish all the seed needed. 1t is a
good plan to save about twice as much
seed as will be required, so that selec-
ton can be more rigid in the spring.
If there are no very severe freezes
before husking begins in earnest some
nISre seed corn can be saved by put
ting 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 wider range
of selection. 1t is not safe to depend
on 1t entirely. however, because hard
freeze when the corn is full of moisture
may kill the germs and make it 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
Irvine. After the corn Is well dried
out and before extremely cold weather
comes 1t should be put in the storage
room. The attic is good place, pro-
vided there is some provision for ven
tilation. If the corn is dry some freez-
ing will 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 6. After
the corn is sorted few ears should
be taken from q 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 the
way place In the living room. In three
or four days it will be ready to exam