Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1913-06-13
HOME COURSE IN
SCIENTIFIC AGRICULTURE
One of Series of Sixteen Articles by
Noted Government and State Experts

lDacK iurrOW or every Wand" This places
the plants above surface water and for
this reason is satisfactory during wei
weather. but the high situation Of. the
stalks Ia a disadvantage during dry
weather. In method of planting Civ.
ing general satisfaction for such fields
the ground Is back furrowed In land,
eight feet wide. making thereby deat
burrows every eight feet. On each side
and two feet from each dead furrow
shallow rows are marked Off, and In
them the corn Is planted.
The labor saved by, the use OF plant
ers is so great that for profitable corn
growing their use Is indispensable.
Every spring the planter should be
thoroughly tested and adjusted
The proper depth to plant must be
governed by the quality and moisture
of the soil. Ii 1t Is stiff. heavy clay,
containing plenty of moisture at plant
ing time, one inch is sufficiently deep,
but If it is light. open, dry soil three
or four inches Is a satisfactory depth.
Fortify against dry weather by plant
ing the seed In furrow. covering 1t
slightly, and then gradually cultivat-
ing the furrow fun Of soil as the plants
grow, This method of planting is es-
peciahy well adapted to deep soils
where dry weather is likely to prevail
during the middle or latter part Of the
growing season. The lister ful6lls the
requirements OF. this method
The lister is used for planting fields
that have been thoroughly plowed and
also for planting directly in last years
cornfeld or stubble field without previ-
Gus preparation. This latter practice,
however, Is not recommended for shall
low or stiff clay soils.
Perhaps more corn is now planted by
means of check rover than by any
other device. Some successful growers
OF corn have found It profitable to use
two row markers set the same width
as their checkrowers
A proper number of stalks evenly
distributed constitute the best. stand
for the production Of ear corn. If
planted thicker than this the weight OF
stOver increases and the production
of good ears decreases If planted
thinner the weight of stoyer, as well as
of ears, decreases Small growing va
rieties should be planted thicker than
varieties producing tall stalks. The
distance for planting In particular
soil should be decided upon and the
planter adjusted to plant accurately
and regularly. Spots missed by the
planter, as well as those depleted by
crows insects, etc. greatly decrease
the yield per acre. The custom Of
planting many times thicker than the
stand of stalks desired is not good
one. If the seed terminates poorly 1t
should not be planted, for, although a
stand may be obtained by very thick
planting, the stalks will not be thrifty,
and reduced yield will result from
using the poor seed. If the seed shows
a termination of 81 per cent or more
In thorough termination test and II
is then properly planted the stand will
be almost perfect unless very adverse
weather ensues. in which case all the
plants will be so injured that the
planting Of the entire field again will
be preferable to replanting the missing
hills and will be more easily accom-
plished. If a field has been drilled In but
one direction and for any reason poor
stand Is obtained II can be replanted
with checkrower set to drop one
kernel at time and operated without
the tripping chain. The checkrower is
driven at right angles to the rows of
the first planting and is operated so as
to plant just as 1t crosses each row.
For this purpose two men will be re-
CURED, one to drive and one to trip the
checkrower as II crosses the corn rows.
The most successful corn growers
realize the Importance of thorough ear
ly cultivation, thus preventing any
check In the growth of the plants be
cause of weeds or crusted soil. Thrifty
corn plants are thick, strong and of
dark green color.
Horse weeders and harrows should
be used when needed. to break sur
face crust, check insect depredations
or kill young weeds that start before
the corn is up or large enough to be
worked with other implements. Dur
ing the first cultivation, or while the
plants are very small. narrow shovels
that throw the soil but very little
should be used. and tenders are usual
) ly found desirable to prevent the COW
ering Of the plants.
Many comparative experiments OF
deep and shallow cultivation have been
made, and, on the whole. the results
are in favor Of shallow cultivation. II
excessive rains have packed the soil
and kept 1t water soaked deep cultiva,
ton will help to dry and aerate the
soil, Breaking the roots of the plants