The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1910-03-04
CORN CULTURE
INTERESTINGLY DISCUSSED

Continued from Page Eight.)
our soil good and deep during the
fall and winter in order that it may
store up as much Of the winter rains
as possible against this scarcity.
Then next spring and summer
this reserve supply will be brought
TO the surface by capillary power to
make up: for. the deficiency. This
deep stirring and thorough pulverl-
cation viii also prove of great ben
eft in that, by the free admission Of
air, more plant food Of the soil is
rendered available. Since the corn
plant is one Of rapid growth it is
important that most Of the material
Of our soil shall be easily and rapid
ly available if our crop Is to derive
much benefit therefrom.
Of course an important feature Of
successful corn growing is the use Of
good seed. It will no more be eco
nomical to plant scrub seed than it
is to breed from scrub stock and the
better breed our seed is, the surer
can we expect a remuneratlve crop.
Care in this item will pay hand
somely. We all recognize the fact
that our best corn is made from
early planting and for that reason
frequently plant our corn too early
i. e. before the soil is warm enough
for best termination. AS a conse-
quence defective stands or sometimes
entire replanting often follow. [
spoke of the soil being warm
enough advisedly because if we will
be guided by its temperature and
not so much by the way the air feels
or what the thermometer registers
upon our front porch we can fre-1
quently avoid the trouble referred to.
It is unsafe to put corn seed in the
ground before the Temperature of
the same is near so degrees. When
this temperature has been reached a
few cold and raw days will not cool
it down to the danger point for
termination and much loss Of seed
could be avoided by giving attention
to this item. While under normal
conditions fat planning and fiat cul-
tivation are best, yet in early plant
ing it is generally advisable to
plant upon a slight ridge 50 as to-
avoid the danger Of an excess Of
moisture and the consequent low
temperature. The idea that by
planting in the water furrow and af-
terwards working a lot Of dirt to
the corn we insure it an abundance
Of moisture because the roots are
buried deeply is a mistake. Corn
roots will come near the surface
whether they started deep or not.
Water furrow planting may have
some advantages with certain meth
ods of cultivation but the securing
pf moisture is not one of these ad-
vantages. It is ratehr difficult to
lay down any definite rules for fer
tiization bs cause our soils differ
50 widely in their plant food re-
quirements. While corn is a heavy
feeder upon potash, yet, especially
upon the red clays Of the Piedmont,
there is usually almost if not quite
enough Of this material in an avail
able form. So that nitrogen and
phosphoric acid are the chief plant
food requirements to be used in
commercial fertilizer. Of these it
is usually safe to put all the phos-
phoric acid down at the time OF
planting. If the soil is Of fair quail
ity it IS usually best to put only a
small amount of the nitrogen at this
time reserving the remainder to be
used as a top dressing in the form
of nitrate Of soda later on. An ex-
cess of nitrogen in the early stages
Of its growth is apt to cause the for