Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1917-05-02
GIVE CORN AN EVEN CHANCE.
Pointers for the Corn Grower in the
Northern Third Of the United,
States. kh

" b.
$ Early fall frosts every year cause
enormous losses of corn in the north
ern third of the United States. Each
September there is feeling OF fear
that frosts may come 10 days earlier
than usual and prevent the corn from
ripening. Every fall millions Of peo-
pie are hoping that the first fall
freeze will be delayed 10 days long
er. This anxiety and this oft-recur-
ring loss due to fall frosts can be
largely prevented by earlier planting.
Concerning the ability of corn to
Withstand low temperatures, some
work conducted during the past three
years by the Office of Corn Inves-
legations of the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture in Southern,
Central, and Northern States, has
brought out points of practical value.
Points which can now be pfofitably
applied in the northern third Of the
United States are:
1. Seed corn that natures proper
ly and is thoroughly dried az soon as
mature and kept dry will give strong
termination.
2. Seed corn of strong termination
can. be planted several weeks earlier
than ordinary seed. Ordinary seed
will rot where proper seed will not.
Valuable points in connection with
seed of strong termination are its
ability to stand planting earlier, to
utilize more fully the growing season,
to mature earlier and to produce a
larger and better matured crop.
3. Very early planted corn makes
slower growth above ground than
late planted corn, is not so tender,
and consequently not so badly injured
by spring frosts.
4. In general, earliness of maturity
means smallness in size and yield. It
is. mistake to choose the earliest ma
turing varieties where a larger and
more productive variety can be ripen-
ed by earlier planting.
With seed corn of Strong germin-
alton (Which is not asNpcarceias usu-
al this spring. it is not advisable to
wait until danger from frost before
planting. The 10 days more OF grow
ing weather so anxiously needed in
the fall can be secured by planting
several weeks earliersdithans usual
With seed of strong termination. nc
fear need be felt because of cold soils
or if,raqsts. if,raqsts A good root growth will
take place, and the growth above
ground will ben1soI slow and hardy
that it will withstand cold fweather
and frost better than later planted
corn.
Thick paintings should be made, SO
that although the weakest plants are
killed by frosts and insects destroy
some, a sufficient number of the most
vigorous plants will remain to main
tain a full stand. After planting,
the soil surface should be kept dry
and warm BY frequent cultivations.
In the District of Columbia good
stands have been obtained from plant
ings made in February where. the
ground froze several times after plant
ing. In North Dokota good stands
have been obtained from paintings
made in April and in northern Ohio
100 bushels Of matured shelled corn
per acre have been produced by plants
whose leaves were frozen Off after the
plants had attained height OF IL to
IS inches.
1t is the fall and not the spring
frosts that should be feared.
Early planted corn natures earlier
and usually yields better than later
planted corn. Earlier planting will
result in larger and better crops in
the northern third of the United
States and cause sufficiently early
ripening<to reduce the enormous loss
es which frequently. occur through
failure of the corn crop TO mature be-
fore growth is stopped by frost.
& G.. p. HARTLEY.
In charge of Corn Investigations.