Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-07-10
CARE OF CORN IN NORTHWEST
Veteran Agriculturist and Scientist
Gives His Views.
CULTURE Is FULLY EXPLAINED
Harrow Should BE Used Freely Until
Stalks Become High, and Guilt
vatOr shOuId he Used when
Narrowing Ceases.
(By Prof. Thomas Shawl


Very large amounts OF corn are being
planted this year in the Dakotas and
Montana, including the areas where the
rainfall is short as well as where it is
larger This is as 1t ought to be. for where
the farmer can succeed in raising a good
crop OF corn fodder, he is practically sure
of d good crop Of grain on the same land
the following year In many instances the
grain crop after corn is quite as good as
when grown on summer fallowed land. In
some instances 1t has proved better. This
fact is OF tremendous significance to
farmers in dry areas. because Of the fodder
that It furnishes to them to be used In
feeding live stock.
When the crop has been planted, whether
in drills or In hills. it should be narrowed
once or twice before IL has appeared. Gen
orally speaking 1t is good plan to give
the second narrowing just as the plants
begin to show. II the ground Is very
clean, this narrowing may be the first one
given. but usually It will be the second.
The subsequent narrowing will depend on
such conditions as the weedy condition of
the ground, the amount OF the rainfall
and the rapldity OF growth in the corn. The
number OF the borrowings called for win
generally be two to four. Corn may be
narrowed until the plants are six to eight
inches high. but care must be taken not
to harrow when the ground is wet or
when the plants are wet from dew or rain.
Narrowing is best done when the sun is
shining strongly. as weeds are then most
effectively killed and the corn plants are
less easily broken off,
shOaId Harrow light.
The harrow should as q rule be light. but
there are many instances when It ought to
be heavy, as when a hard crust has been
formed. Generally the teeth should be
slanted backwards when in use, but to this
also there are exceptions. Where large
areas of corn are grown, the harrow should
leave a very wide sweep in order to get
over the ground quickly, In some instances
a wide harrow is used which Is made in
sections. The teeth are simply spikes OF
suitable length driven through the light
scantlings which constitute the frame work
OF the harrow. In certain stages OF growth
In the corn and under certain conditions OF
soil, the weeder will better serve the pur-
pose than the harrow. hence where much
corn Is grown, the grower should aim tc
use both the harrow and the weeder as
occasion may require. The weeder may be
used on corn at a more advanced stage IN
the growth than the harrow. When corn
has been narrowed with sufficient fire.
quency and earefulness. the weeds near the
plants should be pretty well destroyed a
we'll as on other parts OF, the ground
The cultivator should be used as soon as
the narrowing ceases. 1t should never &c
down very deeply, but may be sent more
deeply at the FIRST than later. There are
several makes Of eultivators that are good
but those that leave the surface OF thu
ground reasonably smooth are more suit
able on the whole than those which leave
II In ridges The cultivation should b,
given every week or two until ears begir
10 form OF even later. The corn should no
be hilled. as when this Is done moistur'
cannot be so well retained. The more drS
the weather. the more carefully should tn,
corn be cultivated. But every attention
should be given to prevent inerustatioT
after heavy rains. The crop should b,
kept clean. This IL imperative