The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1918-06-10
GROW A Big CROP
WITH LESS LABOR
Federal Specialists Make Suq-
gestions on Economizing With
Man Power.
INCREASE CORN PRODUCTION
Tractors and Larger Implements Will
Help Farmers-Machine Harvest
ers Rather Than Hand Cut
tiers Are Advisable.

Another big corn crop is needed
Last years planting of 12O,OOO,OOC
acres yielded the largest crop ever har-
vested-3, 1853, $4,000 bushels. There
seems to be every reason to believe,
in the opinion Of officials of the Unit
ed States department Of agriculture,
that our own welfare and that of the
allies, as well as neutral nations, make
desirable an even greater production
of corn in 1918 on an acreage approx
mately equal to that planted in 1917.
Increased production may be accom-
plished in number OF ways, and In q
recent publication of the United States
department Of agriculture, 1.-The Agri-
cultural Situation for 1918: Part VIII,
Corn" specialists of the department
make suggestions regarding better
methods. The more extensive use of
labQr-saYing implements will make 1t
easier this year to approximate the
especially when employed in sections
where corn is now grown profitably
but on a more limited scale than Is
desirable, because present methods
require a large amount Of man labor.
The more general use Of recently
developed and improved tractors that
are adapted to the uses Of the small
farm as well as the large farm would
tend to increase the acreage. and to
effect saving in labor. The use Of
larger plows, harrows and other instru-
ments used in fitting the land would
make it possible to accomplish more
work per man. Similarly the substitu-
ton Of two-row planters and two-row
double cultivators in place Of smaller
and less efficient implements would
make 1t possible to do the same
amount Of work with less expenditure
Of labor.
RepIant Missing Hills.
In some corn-grOwing sections 1t Is
the practice to replant missing hills as
soon as the corn is up to a stand.
Frequently this Is done by dropping
kernels by hand and covering with
1oe A labor-saving and quicker
method would be the use of small hand
planters. These could be used to ad-
,antage for the first planting also in
sections, where comparatively small
reas are planted and where 1t is at
resent the custom to drop the corn
" hand and cover with the hoe.
1t is the practice in some localities
o plant a much larger number Of
ernels than the number of stalks
esired and to thin to the desired
tand when the corn plants are about
TX to eight inches tall This method
lay be satisfactory where plenty of
lbor is available, but where it is de-
rable to economic labor it would be
dvisable to plant tested seed at about
le same rate as the stand desired and
0 no thinning.
A more general use OF efficient har-
asting machinery would permit
ore economical use Of labor. A corn
nder with an attachment for elevat-
g the bundles of corn into wagon
lould be used much more extensively !
IAN it is for harvesting ensilage corn. l
here is also on the market machine
at converts the corn into ensilage
the field, elevating it into wagon,
ON which it is sucked or lifted into
e silo The use of either Of these
achines, especially the latter, would ,
away with the necessity Of much =
borious work. =
Work Done by Hand. !,
A large percentage of the cutting =
d shocking of corn is done by hand :,
DOR. In some sections, because of =
favorable topography or other "
asons, it is not practicable to use 9.
lchine cutters. However, the greater &c
TT of the corn that is now cut by :.
nd labor could be harvested by e