Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1916-03-29

nj the corn crop. Joe kept the
|, soil stirred lightly with hand
49, rake so as to conserve the
moisture and applied 200 pounds of nj
trate Of soda when the stalks We're
two-thirds grown.
That gave the crop strong impetus,
and tassels began to show above the
dark green leaves, some of which were
almost five inches across. good
soaking rain fell, followed by cloudy
day and a days driZzle. That night
It showered Internationally, and Joe and
his father went down about dusk be-
tween showers. His father had told
him he heard something rustling about
In the corn. The idea of a cow or q
horse in there working havoc sent a
cold chill down Joe's back.
The two stopped at the fence and
listened In the dead stiffness.
There was a cautious rustling, faint
but plain. 1t was a sort of whispered
rustic that a person could sense more
than he could hear.
"Hear that! That's it.! Some O.
them pesky calves in therew excitedly
urged Mr.. Weston.
The sibilant rustic was heard again.
In fact, it never seemed to stop. Oc-
casionally there was louder noise.
Joe laughed.
"That's the first time I ever heard
corn grow!' he said.
Heard it grow? That's the first l
ever heard of that sort of foolshness,"
snorted his father.
'That's what l said-heard it grow.
That noise is just the unfolding Of the
leaves. The rain is furnishing plenty
Of moisture and the sap is rushing up,
and the leaves are simply opening fast
-tassels coming out, and all that"
III believe mighty near anything my
son says about corn, but blame my cats
II l go that far as to say heard corn
grow said Mr.. Weston. with much
distrust in his tone.
'All right, then. What makes that
rustling in there?'' asked joe
"Pesky calf-or-or jay birds roostin'
in it, or-or wind He ran out of con-
lectures.
You know it amt possible for calf
to be in there because we been all
round the fence; it's tight, and the gate
is locked. Now, cut out the calf sug-
gested Joe.
well, how about jay birds or wind,
or varmints?' asked Mr. Weston hope
fully. He was determined that it
should not be unfolding corn leaves
that he heard.
Did you ever hear Of jay birds roost-
ing in corn-honest, now?' insisted
Joe.
well, don't knows 1 ever did"
"All right; jay birds and calves are
out Of the question. Do you feel any
breeze to rustic the corn?''
"N-nO-b'lieve not" said Mr.. Weston
lie was being hemmed in and knew it.
There never was calmer night-not
breath Of air stirring.
Now the wind is out of the question
too. Listen! Hear that?' They lis
tened again.
sounds like the whisperin' in that
big seashell when you hold it to your
ear said Mr. Weston.
Amt thing in the world except the
corn groWing-leaves unfolding and
rubbing against one another as thew
open-that makes that noise. So YOU
can say that you've heard corn grow.
even II you never saw it grow" sug-
gested his son.
well. live an Learnt his father re-
sponded
Hope to goodness we won't have a
rain for about two or three weeks"
said Joe. That corn is fine, and if we
have nice, quiet. dry spell and no
o1s wind the pollen will fall plentiful
from the tassels to the silk, and the
ears will be seeded plumb to the end,
Good fertile grains. Wet weather lust
at tassellng time is bad for corn. It
is always better if the weather is dry
and still''
i've heard old farmers saw that. but
lucy oldh know the reason" said Mr..
Weston
III there's much wet weather or
WIND about tasseling time the pollen
from the tassels don't fall on the silk
evenly. That is necessary to make
perfect grain. There's a strand of silk
Tor each grain. Unless that strand gets
pollen on it, no grain. Rain and wind
wash the pollen away before it gets
on all the silk
Ihat makes hubby corn?" inquired
his father. Joe nodded.
II the weather had been ordered
especially for the corn it could not
nave been any finer. 1t was exactly
three weeks until gentle, slow rain
fell one night. -..+
MY crops made; it's NADER re-
joiced Joe when he arose the next
morning. GRAINS all formed: now
plenty OF moisture to fill em out;
crops made, tell you, and it's going
to be whale of a crop, believe mew
Looks like, the season. come just