The Maui news. [volume] (Wailuku, Maui, H.I.) 1900-current, 1921-12-06
Agriculture
General Farm Crops
(By ]. f. C'Brien)

Corn is the largest and most valu-
able of all food crops. II is a true
saying Corn is King" Great i'm
provements have been made in corn
in recent years, yet most breeders
agree that a beginning only has been
made. Perhaps the corn of the future
will be such that a few stalks in the
garden will be sufficient for an ordin-
AIRY sized family. Ter years ago to
raise 100 bushels per acre would be
considered incredible, yet the Boys
Corn Clubs have left hat mark far
behind. Now we have one grower
claiming 800 bushels per acre. To
successfully raise such a crop re-
quires some brain work and Drawn
work combined. The plant food ele-
ments in the soil must be in the right
proportion and cooperate with each
other, and the farmer must cooperate
with the elements.
While 81 IL percent of the dry
substance of the crop from the
air carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, hydro
gem yet the 2 IL percent that comes
from the soil potash, phosphorus,
suffer and magnesia) sets the limit of
the crop. Taking a 100 bushel per
aStS NlOp do a Sldludlu, II NOulu lt-
quire 14S pounds of nitrogen IL
pounds of phosphorus, 10 pounds po-
tassuim, and Z pounds of Magnesium
and from 500 to 700 ions of water.
The four essential steps in raising
corn are Q) a good seed bed, (2)
fertility, go good seed, (4) cultiva-
ton. The seed bed should be deep
and thoroughly pulverized. Barnyard
manure is the ideal fertilizer for corn.
1t contains all the plant food elements
and humus in addition. The seed
should be selected in the field and
neve in the crib. That like pro.
duces like" is more marked of corn
than other plant. Strong, healthy
pure bred seed will produce it's own
kind. weak emaciated seed of poor
heredity will produce weak thin ears
and a poor crop. Inbred corn produces
deficient and deformed ears. Corn
fortified by pollen from barren
stocks and sucker stocks is not apt
to yield good corn, if at all. Even
the location of the ear on the stalk
is transmitted to the seed. Corn
planted from ears located near the
ground on the stalk will mature
earlier than those located very high
Corn becomes acclimated to the dis
trict in which it grows and will grow
better than seed brought from the Out
side, yet this should not deter grow
ers from introducing better corn, be
cause all corn can be acclimated ir
two or three ear if care is used.
Corn with 3, 6, or s ears on the
stalk require a longer growing period
than corr with l OIL two ears. Selec
ltion of the seed is extremely import
ant, and as We have already stated
should always be done in the field
where every condition IAN be con
sidered. A fine large and good shap
ed ear picked up in the crib NIGH
have grown in a especially favored
position in the field, all alone and un
crowded and would not be able tt
hold its own against an ordinary eal
that had to fight for its life, and fur
thermore the fine looking ear select
ed in the crib might be self pollinat
ed and produce weak deformed ears
Cross fertilization can be furtheret
in the fields by removing the tassell'
from portions of each row or from
every second row. The plants so de
tasseled must be %pollinated by othe
plants and cannot possibly receiv'
any of their own pollen. Choose tn
seed from the detasseled stocks. Col
lect the earliest maturing ears Wh1cl
are at a uniform distance from tn
ground and wait until they are pei
fectly ripe and dry. Roughly, twelv'
ears will plant an acre. The see
ears should be stored in a dry warn
ventilated room, never hung on tn
norch where they are subjected I
moisture, as the germ is apt to mol
and termination will be greatly re
duced. Properly dried ears will Civ
a termination of over 80 percent a