The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1917-03-29
CORN GROWING IN EASTERN
KENTUCKY
NV dear Farmer Friends

the planting OF the corn crop, wnich
| think will be helpful.
Corn is the chief crop in the great
er part Of the United States. 1t is
grown to some extent in every state,
and in the corn belt il is grown as
a money crop. In Eastern Kentucky,
more acres are planted 10 corn than
10 all other crops combined.
A large per cent Of all the corn
used in the entire section Of Ken
lucky is shipped in; in some seasons
amounting to thousands OF bushels.
The farmers who buy this corn must,
OF course, earn the money to pay
for il by working at something other
than farmint. In the past there has
been plenty of work, such as haul
ing lumber and cross-ties, logging,
digging coal, etc. By such work 1t
has been possible in the past to earn
something with which to buy the
feed which was not produced on the
farm. In some counties there is not
now so much OF such work as there
was a few years ago. The timber
has been worked up so rapidly in
the last few years that most OF the
good timber is gone. In few more
years it will be impossible to have
a ready means of earning money at
"public works." When that time
comes it will be necessary for the
farmer to produce on the farm q
living for the family. For this rea-
son as the population increases, the
farms must become smaller, and 1t
is necessary that farmers and their
sons should learn TO grow more on
each acre than they have been grow
ing. This must be one of the aims
of the Agricultural Club members,
and of farmers who are trying to do
better farming.
BY following better methods OF
growing crops, the crop produced
costs less per bushel, as mentioned
in my last letter. Suppose that count
ing the work which farmers usual
" do on their corn crop. is costs
$1,000 to grow an acre of corn. II the
yield is five bushels Of "nubbins' the
cost per bushel is $500. Even il the
yield is ten bushels Of good corn, the
cost is 81 90, which is something over
the average price Of corn. II by
increasing the cost $1,000 for each
acre, forty bushels can be produced,
the cost per bushel is only SOC. II has
been proven over and over again
that this can be done in Eastern Ken
lucky. even on ordinary land. The
secret OF success is to plan fewer
acres and give them better Guilt
walton. A farmer will never i'm
prove his corn yield so long as he
plants three times as much as he
has teams and tools to manage prop
erly.
To make some good increases in
yield. il will not, in most cases, be
necessary for the farmer or club
member TO spend much money.
Most OF the extra cost should be in
better work. The suggestions given
on the following pages will be help
full, though they will not apply to
every case alike.
Selecting and Improving the Land
In choosing the land to improve
for corn remember that anything
put on steep land for Improvement
will be easily lost by washing. Re-
member also, that nothing but weeds
will thrive on wet land. Select a
well drained and moderately level
piece OF land TO work on.
II the place selected is sandy soil,
IL will have very little humus |
mentioned in my first letter. II must
have plenty Of humus il il is to grow
anything like a good crop. Be sure
TO provide this by blowing under
something that will help TO hold
water and as il rots will furnish the
plant with food.
II you have not already gathered
leaves or other material for increas-
ing humus supply, there is little time
left for such work. All manure
should be put on the land and work.
ed in as soon as possible. For best
results, all manure MUST be broad
cast. II is the business OF the plant
roots TO find dissolved plant food
Wherever there is plant food with
enough water to dissolve ii, there
will be plenty OF roots to use it. Ma
ture sees TO il that the water Il
evenly distributed throughout thu
soil; il is the farmers business Il
distribute whatever plant food HI
puts on the land. When this II