Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-05-29
CORN PLANTING ADVOCATED
TO RELIEVE WHEAT SHORTAGE.
How 1t Can Be Utilized by the Home Gardener Doing His
Bit"-Directions for Planting and Culture-Hints
on Handling Insect and Bird Pests
By JOHN BARTRAM

AMERICANS must eat more corn, econ.
"A omists point out, during the war criss.
The Allies have not formed the habit yet
and are used to wheat. so It is desired TO
furnish them all the flour possible until
this years crops are harvested. OF course,
the average home gardens corn crop will
not be sufficient Tor making meal In large
quantity; some can he ground Use Of
fresh corn and that canned. however. will
relieve the demand upon wheat flour I'm the
form Of bread on American tables,
A most effective way TO remedy the prob.
able shortage in the wheat crop Is to plant
corn, says the United states Department Of
Agriculture
ordinarily the quantity OF corn produced
in the United States IL from three to four
times the quantity OF wheat but only
very small portion OF the crop--from TO
| per Ccnt--has been used for human food.
This amount may be estimated in normal
times at about 200 900, 900 bushels year.
Not over 5 per cent has been exported in
peace times. relatively slight increase in
the corn acreage, therefore. will place many
millions of bushels more Of human food at
the disposal Of the world without interfer-
ing in any way with the feed needed for
the support Of live stock
In the past, with an abundance Of grain
Of other kinds. corn has not been in great
other grains no longer abundant Circum-
stances viii compel more general recognl-
tion " the value Of corn as human food.
Wider use of corn in the diet Is urged on
ALL II Is the best substitute for wheat that
We have and can be utilized I'm breads.
nushes and a variety Of other ways We
should make every effort to avail ourselves
| OF It.
Sweet or sugar corn does best in a light.
rich soil heavy soil well manured will
crop we'll
Corn may he grown either in drills
I tstraight burrows level with ground) or
| hills tmounds). Have rows two to three
| feet apart and thin out the plants in the
| row to "A single stalk every ten to fourteen
| inches in drills or In hills three feet apart
! each way. When planting in hills an extra
! quantity of manure should be put in bottom
| Of each hill From six to eight grains
! should I've suwn in each hill and covered "a
! the depth Of one inch with soil Thin out
! the plants so that not more than four re.
| main In one spot. To have corn In success
| sion, paintings should be made once week
| from the moment the ground is warn
| enough until about July s. using tho
| early varieties for the first two sowings
| then the medium and later the late sorts
! except the last two paintings should bC
| made with early varieties
Keep the corn free from weeds, and no,
| up about once a week taking care not I,
| face Prevent sapping Of vitality by Topping
| off the suckers" or young shoots which
| come up from the roots OF the larger plants
! Quantity required: one quart for 20j
hills one quart for drill Of 100 feet; egh
quarts for an acre
Animal and insect pests, squirrels black
birds, crows, cutworms. carworms, wire
| worms. grasshoppers can be combated by
simple measures.
For Cutworms and other insect pest.
humps Of poisoned bait. made by mixing
bran or Cornmeal, twenty-five parts, with
Paris green. one part and sprnkling OF
finely chopped oranges or lemon peel anC
enough cheap molasses to make a stin
rows at planting time or as soon as injury
from cutworms is noticed
The old-fashioned scarecrow keeps bird,
away.
Treating the seed with coal tar will
| usually repel attacks Of birds. and. In som,
| cases those of burrOwing rodents tea
| spoonful of tar is enough. Mix tar with 9
| quart Of boiling water. After the mixtur,
| has cooled somewhat hut is still hot, sti,
In the corn until every grain is coated, ant
| then spread ii out TO dry before planting
! Corn may he immersed several minutes IN
| moderately hot water without affectinI
| termination. The tar treatment does moi
| repel mice or ground squirrels
Destruction of corn by ground squirrels
mice etc, is best prevented by poisoning
the animals few days before the corn 4,
planted, Strychnine is the best poison r
! all cases, but to obtain satisfactory results
| Is put on bits Of meat near the rows. Paris
| green and strYChnine are poisons and should
not be placed where children or domestic
animals can get them.