The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1920-04-30
Of laying OFF rows and using planter
where possible.

Of laying OFF rows and using planter
where possible.
Fertilizer
It. is agenerally recognized fact that
commercial fertilizer up to a certain
amount is good investment for is.
creasing the yield OF the corn. The
amount used should be controlled bv
the soil conditions, such as the amount
of humus in the soil and its ability 10
retain moisture
Methods of Fertilizer Application
When only 100 to 200 pounds per
acre of commercial fertilizer is used.
the general practice is to apply this in
the furrow at planting time. This
method is not recommended for the
reason that fertilizer applied in the
seed furrow makes that strip the most
fertile, with the result that grass and
weeds begin to grow very fast and
necessitates considerable hoeing. and
in these days of expense Of farm labor
the farmer cannot afford to have
much hoe work done in the corn crop.
A method practiced by quite a num-
Der of our progressive farmers is TO
open up the seed furrow in the usual
way. then bed on it one furrow from
each side and apply the fertilizer I'm
this furrow, thus having the fertilizer
on both sides of the corn row. Then
before planting, split up this bed by
either middle buster or shovel, plant
the corn and cover with board. This
method gives fertilizer on both
both sides of the corn. row and has
tendency to give an increased yield,
in that it stimulates the root system
of the crop. In cases. however, where
500 or 500 pounds or more per acre
is applied we recommend broadcast
ing the fertilizer, in every case mixing
It thoroly with the soil before plant.
ing.
Distance to Plant
The distance to give the crop both
between rows and in the row is very
important factor and one that every
farmer should consider very seriously.
The aim should be to have as heavy
seeding as possible, but at the same
time not to have it too heavy and per-
haps lower the yield for the lack Of
enough fertility to mature the crop.
Under ordinary farm conditions it is
recommended that rows should be
feet apart and hills 2 or feet in the
row. Where 500 or coo pounds Of
commercial fertilizer, however. is
employed on ordinary fertile soil. the
distance in the row could be reduced
to Is inches or 2 feet.
Seed
Great care should be exercised In
the selection and planting of good
seed. In selecting seed in the crib.
the best ears should always be chosen.
and no seed should ever be planted
from a "nubbin" It is also recon-
mended that the tip and butt grains
be discarded.
Re-PIanting
Where the stand for the first plant
ing is less than 80 per cent. we would
recommend blowing it up and plant
ing all over again Where the stand ,
is over so per cent we would recon-
mend that the crop be carefully watch
ed in coming up. and be re-planted as
quickly as possible. Delay in replant-
ing does not give the late planted hills
much chance and is, therefore, con-
siderable of loss TO the farmer.
Cultivation
Constant cultivation with Shallow
working tools, such as sweeps or acme
harrow, should be practiced at not
more than ten day intervals during
the growing period and continued IN
to the time that the silk on the ear
shows dried condition Quite num-
Der of the corn growers Of the state
stop cultiavting the crop too early
some of them at the punching to tassel
stage, and this stage of the crop is the
most critical in its existance and is
the time when cultivation should be
continued The laying by ideas at a
certain period of the crops production
is not good agricultural practice.
c. X. McQUARRIE.