The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1922-06-01

corn, who rank high in that line OF
agricultural production, will be inter
ested in a bulletin on Sweet Corn
Culture, just issued by the Maine Col
lege of Agriculture extension service.
It's author, A. X. Gardner. extern
sion crops specialist, formerly county
agent in Franklin county, emphasized
the need of using every possible me
thod to improve the standard and. at
the same time lower the cost of pro-
duction and packing in order that
Maine may maintain its position of i'm
portance among the sweet corn grow
ing and packing states. The text OF
the bulletin, concerning preparation
of soil, planting cultiYating and har-
Yesting, is in part as follows:
Sweet corn has been a profitable
crop for a great many farmers over
the state in the past and probably can
be made so in the future, when pro-
per care is exercised in the growing
methods. This is especially true in
the case of livestock farmers. as
sweet corn furnishes cash income
and, at the same time, provides a part
OF the necessary roughage feed. Not
only that, but the labor requirements
are such as to make the most effec-
tive use of the livestock farmer S
time, an important factor in the man
agement of the smaller farms.
One of the principal limiting fac
tors in profitable sweet corn growing
Is the cost of production which can
only be considerably decreased by in
creasing the yield and judging by the
results of certain farmers heretofore
IL seems reasonable that majority
OF sweet corn growers can materially
bring up their production.
Sweet corn is a plant which develops
an extremely large root system, cap
able of feeding over a big area, and
this naturally means q soil which is
medium to rather, light, well supplied
with organic matter, containing
goodly supply of air and well drain
ed. Light, medium and rocky loans
are best, and heavy clays and soggy
soils should be avoided
Southeast, south and southwest
cants are more favorable to early de-
velopment of the plant, though II the
slope is gradual and protected from
cold winds in the early part of the
season, 1t may be well suited to the
crop. At best the season between
frosts is short and planting Of fros
ty land should, so far as possible, be
avoided.
PREPARATION
Fall blowing Is preferable, as 1t
irSures better moisture supply, gets
the work out Of the way so there is
not so much hurry in the spring, and
gives the sod an opportunity to de-
cay. II 1t is necessary to pillow in the
spring, the sod should be disked,
plowed as early as possible, and har-
rowed at once,
With good soil the blowing should
be to depth OF seven or eight inches,
and the burrows should be turned
evenly. thus insuring more uniform
seed-bed, a better and more uniform
covering of weeds and resulting in
less amount of hand labor later on.
Too many times disking and har-
rowing are discontinued before the
ground is in shape and the result is
that the root system does not have
the uniform conditions which insure
a good yield over the entire piece. In
many instances there are certain
hard spots in the piece and unless
these are worked down, they will al
ways be hard spots during the grow
ing season, and will not give the com
plete stand that is so highly desirable.
AS general rule the ground should
be narrowed until it is very mellow
and warmed so that the seed will have
an opportunity to terminate quickly,
and sufficient weeds will be elminat
ed so as to materially reduce the
amount of hand labor in hoeing Fin
ally, 1t should be smoothed with a
spike-tooth harrow so that the plant
ing may be of a uniform depth
throughout.
Witch-grass is one of the worst
pests to contend with in growing of
sweet corn. Many progressive farm
ers have found that a very effective
way to handle this pest is by blowing
after haying to a depth of approx
mately four inches, or as shallow as
possible, and then narrowing every
week or 10 days in August and Sep
TENDER so that the witch-grass does
not have an opportunity to start and
Is finally smothered out This method
followed by deep blowing in the late
fall often results in complete eradica-
ZION oil tne pest.
FERTlLIZATION
1t is difficult to discuss intelligently
the amount of fertilizer to be used for
sweet corn, as the fertility of the
ground the quality of the manure and
the amount of organic matter in the
soil are all important factors to CON
slider
Manure especially is so variable
that it is almost impossible to make
definite recommendation as TO the
amount which should be applied AS
a general rule the amount will vary
from Is to so loads per acre, because
there Is at least that variation in the
quality. Where manure has been kept
outside the barn and the most avail
abe parts have been washed away, 80
loads are probably necessary to in
sure good production; on the other
hand if the manure has been housed
properly and kept on tight floors,
nrohahIv from to lOadc will hQ