The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1922-06-01
SOMERSET COUNTY SWEET CORN GROW.
ERS SHOULD Be INTERESTED IN CULTURE
Standard Should Be Improved by Every Possible
Method Maine Must Maintain Its Position

results in poor stand and a poor
yield. Thus the grow must always
realize that the proper amount will
/ depend upon the care he is taking In
preserving its fertility.
Manure should preferably be APP
piled in the fall and turned under.
i This has tendency to better incor-
porate the manure throughout the
soil gives the crops quicker start
in the spring, has the advantage OF
being plowed in and saves the amount
Of spring work. 1t is much more sat
isfactery to spread the manure as
hauled, especially where manure
spreader can be used, as there Is less
loss from the finely pulyerized, evenly
spread coating than where it Is put in
/ small piles. 1t should not be spread
on the burrows in the fall unless the
ground is sufficiently flat so that there
will be little or no washing.
Manure in itself is not sufficient for
/ the needs of the corn, as the crop, to-
gether with other cereals, requires a
/ large amount of phosphoric acid, an
element which manure Is deficient in,
and which should be supplied In some
other form. Not only phosphoric acid,
but quick acting ammonia, should be
supplied, also because even a very
good quality manure will not tend to
promote the rapid early growth that
is so highly necessary for early pro-
duction. When homemixing, 200
pounds of nitrate of soda and 500 to
800 pounds of acid phosphate should
! give the best results. OF this mixture
200 to 300 pounds can be applied in
the planter, and the remainder either
broadcasted or 300 pounds broadcast
ed and 200 pounds applied after the
corn is up.
When no manure is available, from
! 1900 to 1900 pounds of a good grade
| commercial fertilizer may be used
Practically all companies make a
! special corn mixture; while there Is
| some variation in the analysis, prob
/ ably in the long run they will give
better satisfaction than fertilizers Of
a definite analysis, but not made up
particularly for corn. A 3-8-4, 4-8-4,
1856, or even possibly $751;, may
be desirable under certain soil condi-
lions. The main thing is to have a
corn fertilizer and vary the amount
used according to the analysis. A
home mixture consists of 200 pounds
of nitrate of soda, 500 pounds OF a
high grade tankage, 900 pounds OF
! acid phosphate, and 200 pounds of
muriate of potash, equal to one ton
approximately of a 48-5 commercial
fertilizer. This should be applied by
using 200 to 300 pounds in the planter
and the remainder broadcasted, or
part broadcasted and part sowed be-
tween the rows after the corn is up.
SEED
While the seed distribution is in the
hands of the packing companies, and
growers themselves do not, as a gen.
eral rule, produce their own seed, 1t
should be remembered that strong
bright, we'll matured seed Is neces-
ary and unless il Is more or less DIFF
ficulty may be experienced in getting
a good stand Of corn under favorable
conditions.
The sweet corn grower Is primarily
| interested In the amount Of cash re-
not desirable unless it Is accompanied
/ by Dig ylelu Oh corn.
PLANTING
Corn should be planted as early III
the spring as the soil can be worked
Sometime between May IS and June
will probably fit most conditions, al
though farmers in some localities may
plant as early as May 10. In any case
I it is better to run the risk of frost a.
the first end of the season rather thar
! at the last, for in the first instance
IA man has the opportunity to replant
while in the latter 1t simply means
/ complete failure. Corn should be Gov
cred from one to two inches in depth
] or il the soil Is fairly compact a half
inch probably would be sufficient. In
a good seed bed one inch will be the
average. Enough seed should be used
so that thinning will be necessary
/ The rows should be at least SO inches
apart, and the hills preferably from
/ Is to "a inches. This spacing seems
/ to give better yields than where the
! distances are decreased or increased
/ Most growers prefer Is inches unless
( it is a heavy type corn.
THINNING
Thinning is one of the most impor.
tant practices In sweet corn growing
Enough corn should be planted to in
sure a good yield under favorable con.
/ dtions. This means that with higl
terminating corn in some years mort
stalks will come up than 1t is desirable
To leave. and some of the surplus
stalks will have to be removed at thu
time of hoeing. II in planting the
/ hills are Is inches apart, thre stalks
are enough to leave per hill. If the
hills are is inches apart, three stalks
are enough per hill. If too many stalks
! are left. only few of them as a gen
eral rule will ear out in good shape
and the production per acre, as has
been found by definite experiments
and by practices on farms, will not be
as large as where smaller number
are selected. Thinning also gives tlr
fopportunity of selection. While the
terminating test prior to planting
| may show the seed apparently strong
the termination in the field may no
prove so, if weather conditions have
been very unfavorable. If there is al
fx1yn 4,