The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1917-04-12
MOUNTAIN AGRICULTURE
FERN Demonstration and Special
Investigator
CORN GROWING IN EASTERN
KENTUCKY

KENTUCKY
Ny dear Farmers:
10 is about time TO begin planning
the fertilizing and planting Of the
corn crop, and so am writing you
as | agreed to do in my letter OF
March 18th, to offer some sugges-
tons.
Fertilizers
If any commercial fertilizer is
bought for use, rs per cent acid
phosphate is the best to get. IL can
be obtained from any fertilizer
dealer or agent. Apply this broad
cast at the rate Of from $50 to 500
pounds per acre, and work into the
soil with a harrow.
Seed Corn
As yet little is known as to the
pure varieties Of corn which will
be Suitable to Eastern Kentucky.
The introduction of any new
variety into a community is not
likely to give satisfaction at first.
The best varieties to use in the
main crop will be those which have
been tried out in the locality and
have proved to be good. II some
new variety is to be tried out, plant
il To- itself on some part of the farm
away from other corn.
Seed corn should be selected in
the fall at husking time, or prefer
ably in the field before the corn is
harvested. Select large. sound ears,
and hang them up to dry where rats
or mice cannot get to them. Seed
corn should be dry when cold,
freezing weather comes.
The terminating power of each
ear Of seed corn should be known
before planting is done. This can
be tried out by the termination test
described in Farmers Bulletin No.
253. | will send this bulletin on re-
quest.
Time to Plant
In most seasons the best time to
plant corn is from the first TO the
middle of May. Corn is often plant
ed too early in Eastern Kentucky.
The usual result is poor germina-
ton. Any corn planted before the
soil is warm is hindered in germi-
nation, and is much more subject to
the attacks of cut worms and other
insects which do their work best
while the soil is cool. It is much
better to spend more time making
a good seed bed and then plant after
the soil is warm enough for the
corn to start off promptly.
Method and Rate of Planting
On level land it will be best to
plant in checks rows running both
ways so as to reduce the work of
killing weeds. On billy or rolling
land the rows can run only one
direction. They must run around
the HILL" and to prevent washing
they should have a very slight fall
in one direction throughout the
entire row. If one point in the row
is little lower than the next few
feet in both directions, then the
water will gather in this low place,
and breaking over will cause a
wash. As nearly as possible, then,
there should be uniform slope to
the row from one end to the other.
On most soils, poor to medium in
fertility, the corn should be planted
SO as to give good distance between
the hills. IL will be about right to
leave two stalks to the hill with
hills feet apart and rows 4 feet
apart. Planting at this rate will
put as many stalks on the land as
will be necessary in order to grow
a. much corn as the land is able to
produce. Too often the corn is
crowded so close that the yield is
very much reduced. The following
table gives the number of stalks TO
the acre when planted at different
distances, leaving two stalks to the
hill IL also gives the number Of
these stalks will produce
assuming that 100 ears are required
10 make a bushel of shelled corn.
This does not make allowance for
barren or missing stalks.