The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1920-01-29
POINTS ESSENTIAL TO EARLY
CORN MATURITY.

COKN MAIUKIII.
Having been connected for several
years with the agricultural depart
ment Of a North Dakota academy, !
became greatly interested in the cnA
turn Of corn and its adaptability to
the peculiarities Of this northern eli
mate. / have noted with much inter-
est the launching of the present cam
paign for the increased production Of
corn in this state and feel confident
that it is move in the right direction.
There is no doubt but that the Zone
crop" system has been the greatest
handicap to the development Of sue
cessful agriculture In our state. The
early maturing Of the corn crop is one
Of the chief problems confronting the
corn growers Of these northwestern
countries and should be given special
consideration in the discussion Of effic-
lent cultural methods Of this present
corn growing drive. will conflne
the few simple suggestions Of this ar
ticle to such methods as have been
found helpful in securing early crop
maturity.
The first essential to secure this
end is early and vigorous termination
and this in turn is largely dependent
upon a properly prepared seed-bed.
blowing is very necessary. The ground
three weeks before planting. It should
packer as rapidly as it is plowed 50 as
to conserve the sub-moisture which is
very vital feature in this semi-arid
district. Just before planting it
should be gone over again with the
drag. The benefits of this process are
these: 1st-The early stirring of the
soil raises the temperature of the soil
several degrees. End 1t increases
many fold the bacterial activity Of the
soil. 3rd-As a result of this the
plant food of the soil is made soluble
and available to the plant. BY the
above method a gain of week or two
is realized in the rapid development
Of the corn crop. In later cultivation
after the corn is up it is proper to fol-
low fairly deep methods Of cultivation
in this dry climate, so as to develop a
deeper rootssystem and a more effic-
lent mulch to protect the deeper mois-
ture of the soil from evaporation. Al
ter the corn has reached heighth Of
10 inches, all deep cultivation should
be strictly eliminated. At. this time
the millions of hair roots that connect
with the main feed roots of the visible
stalk begin to establish themselves
with the greatest rapidly in every
part of the moist soil between the
rows. Now this root system is so ex-
tensive and 80 delicate that II requires
but little disturbance to vitality injure
it and make its entire reconstruction
necessary.
It can be easily understood there
fore how easily the low-pointed shovel
digging from Two TO four inches below
the moist soil, the whole width between
the rows, could work havoc with this
delicate roota system and retard the
development Of the entire crop more
than two weeks.
For this later cultivation every cul-
tivator should be provided with knives
instead Of pointed shovels similar 70
the Tower cultivator. This same prin-
ciple applies to the cultivation Of beans
especially in North Dakota. The bean
Is a very shallow rooted plant and de.
ponds on the plant food next to the
surface for It's food supply for there
Is where the greatest amount Of nitro
gen is to be found and this is the chief
element required by the bean crop.
W. A. AWAY,
Pastor Seventh Day
Adventist Church.