The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-06-24
THE CULTIVATION OF
CORN.

oucceSSful corn culture depends as
lhuch upon the know how as does
ouoCeSS III any other business. Of
course, deep, humus-filled soil is the
hrst consideration. but much depends
upon the cultivation given the corn
a1ter 1t is up. The farmer who un-
derstands and practices the best prin-
cipAeS OF corn growing, who knows
the rOOt-SyStem, the movements Of
SOIL moisture and the uses of soil
mulches will make a good corn crop
IN spite of adverse seasons Of rain
fall and drought. The one who does
not Understand these things attributes
ms 1alures TO the wet weather, the
dry weather, tho hot weather, the
cold weather, or something else the
enects OF which he should be able to
obviate. In the Farm Demonstration
Work last season some big crops Of
corn were made where no rain fell
from the time the corn was planted
till it was mature. Yet the yield Of
corn in this country are more de-
pendent upon rainfall during the
thing else. This should not be.
But let us see that we understand
what proper cultivation does Every
good farmer knows that cultivation
Is to save the moisture, to destroy
terminating weed Seeds to liberate
plant food and to warm and aerate
| the SOIL If the first two are accom-
plished the others are too. The sue
cessful farmer never allows his soil
knows that it is then losing moisture
To prevent this crusting also destroy
weed and grass seed that may be
coming up in the soil. So we see that
all that is necessary is to cultivate
often enough to keep the soil loose
on top. One Of the Experim ent Sta
tions has found that during very drJ
hot weather a single corn stalk viii
take from the soil and evaporate q.
much as ten pints in one day. 1t re
quires about 500 pounds Of water tt
produce one pound Of dry matter. S<
we learn that corn is a crop that re
lQuireS immense amounts Of moisture
Yet, throughout this section, we ha$t
sufficient rainfall every year to pre-
duce two or three corn crops on al
lour land. The wise farm 81 is he VIII,
fall and keep it in the soil until it i
needed.
AS to depth of cultivation, we mus
remember that corn belongs to tn
grass family and therefore has a fine
ibrous, extensive root system. 3
the time corn is foot high the root
may be tapping between the rows
The roots grow outward through tn
soi' from two to four times as fas
! as the stalks grow upward. To de
stroy these roots in cultivating is t
. cut of the feeding powers OF tn
, corn. 1t very often happens that tn
soil needs a rather deep stirring Will
: the corn is small and before the root
; get out far. II this is the case,
should be given, but care must
taken not to cultivate deeply latel
5 The Indiana Experiment Station ha
shown that corn cultivated about tw
inches deep yielded 4z.36 bushels
> that cultivated three inches dee
r yielded 1885 bushels; whi'e that Gu
: tivated four inches deep yielded onl
a l37.9z bushels Another station foun
o that shallow cultivation Welded 81.
bushels per acre, but deep cuJtivatio
: gave only al bushels
As to the number Of times 70 c,sh
;. vate corn, this viii depend uT,on cos
r iitions. The thing to keep in mir
: is to keep a mulch on the surface ui
f til Some Of the silks" begin to tuE
). lbrown 1t is critical time with Col
e when it is maturing the grain.
: should not be neglected then.