Class _1:L.^ Bonk . M £ A ^ GofpghtN"_ coFnacHr DEposm THE CORNFIELD THE DAY AFTER PLANTING Notice the shallow furrows made by the furrow openers attached to the planter runners PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE Written especially for the CORN BELT FARMERS BY W. T. AINSWORTH Actively Engaoed in Farming fur Forty Years, and Still at It. RALPH M. AINSWORTH Secretary Illinois Corn Growers' and Stockmen's Convention. Member Illinois Seed Corn Breeders' Association. ILLUSTRATED PUBLISHED BY W. T. AINSWORTH & SONS MASON CITY, ILLINOIS * ' Oh, the corn, the royal corn, within whose golden heart there is of health and strength for all the nations. ' ' — Ex-Governor Oglesby. Copyright, 1914 BY RALPH M. AINSWORTH FEB -2 1914 HAMMOND PRESS W. B. CONKEY COMPANY CHICAGO ©CI.A36;3474 PREFACE DURING the past ten years great progress has been made in the cnltivation and care of corn, both for seed and market. During this time few books have been written which have kept up with this progress. What has been written has pertained largely to the attacks of insect and fungous pests and to the selection and care of corn for seed. Yery little that would be of practical benefit to the busy farmer has been written on the culture of corn. We have long felt the need of such a book and have at length been induced by our friends to attempt the work ourselves. The result is seen in the volume now placed before the public. Our aim has been to make this book up-to-date in every particular and to cover the entire practice of corn growing, from the cutting of the stalks in the spring to the selection and testing of the seed for next year's crop. We have purposely started with the preparation of the seed bed because we know that some readers will start this book and will not finish it. If only a little is read, we are especially anxious that the reader get that part pertaining to the growing of the crop. The writers are both actively engaged in farming seven hundred acres of land, and W. T. Ainsworth has been growing corn on his Cloverdale farm for over thirty-five years. No apology is offered for the manner in which the subject is treated. The public must be the sole judge as to whether the book is deserving of commendation. We do not claim originality for all of our methods since 3 4 PREFACE many of our operations have been suggested by neighbors and the reading of bulletins and farm papers. Changing conditions, from year to year, demand new and different methods of culture. The farmer, to keep abreast of the times, must be ready to adopt new ideas. If any of us should disregard the opinion of others and depend solely upon his own judgment for ten years, he would find that he would be left far behind in the march of competition. We wish gratefully to acknowledge the sympathy, encouragement and suggestions which we have received from farmers in Illinois and in other states. To mention each one would be out of the question, but our gratitude for their kindness is none the less sincere. Such rapid progress is being made in the methods of growing farm crops that this book will undoubtedly be a back number in less than five years. For this reason it is our intention to rewrite it every two years. If the reader will send a return stamped envelope we shall be glad to answer any questions, in our power, in regard to conserving soil fertility and the culture of corn. W. T. AND Ralph M. Ainsw^orth. Sunny Side Farmstead, Mason City, Illinois. January, 1914. CONTENTS PART I. CULTURE Page Introduction 7 Preparing tlie Seed Bed 12 Planting 29 Cultivation 48 PART II. BUILDING UP THE LAND The Rotation of Farm Crops 57 Leguminous Crops .' 68 Stable and Barnyard Manures 83 Phosphorus and Limestone 90 PART III. THE SEED Selecting the Best Ears for Seed 95 The "Ear to the Row" Breeding Plot 105 Drying and Storing Seed Corn 117 Preparing Seed Corn for Planting 122 Insect Enemies and Plant Diseases 129 APPENDIX Letters on Corn Culture from Practical Farmers 140 5 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Farmers in the United States are beginning to appreciate the fact that they are not raising as much per acre on their ground as do European farmers. This subject is being -brought constantly to their attention by government bulletins, the agricultural press, farmers' institutions, etc. The early settlers on the soil found a virgin fertility which they did not stop to think would some day be exhausted; and they and their successors did little or nothing to compensate the soil for what they took out. We have now come to the point where the subject deserves our serious consideration. We must not only recognize the fact, but must act. The difference in productivity, however, is not due entirely to low soil fertility, but may be influenced by culture and by the time, method, and rate of seeding. Unquestionably each of these factors influence the yield to a considerable extent. When crop prices were low in the United States, the excuse was often given that European farmers could farm better because their farm produce commanded prices which made intensive agriculture profitable with them but not with us. This may have been true twenty years ago, but during the last five years wheat, oats, and especially corn, have brought good prices, in some cases higher than the prices in Europe. Present food prices for farm products are an incentive to better farming; if they continue wonderful strides should be 7 8 PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE made during the next ten years. We believe present farm prices are here to stay, unless, perchance, they go higher. Good Prices for Farm Crops The last census shows that the population of the United States increases over twenty per cent every decade. This increase in population has been much greater than the in- crease in the available supply of land. The demand for farm crops has increased faster than the supply, with the result that farm crops and farm lands continue to bring higher prices. This is especially true of corn and corn land. At least eighty per cent of the corn land in the corn belt proper is now under cultivation. If, then, we are to grow more corn in the future, it will be necessary to grow more bushels to the acre. More bushels mean better farming, and better farming requires not only more thorough and intelli- gent culture but the building up of the land and more care- ful selection of seed. While we are confronted by depleted soils and the stern necessity of better farming, we are cheered by the fact that the resulting higher prices are making better farming exceed- ingly profitable. Twenty years ago the farmer was excusable for following bonanza methods (we have excused ourselves) with corn selling at fourteen cents per bushel. From 1890 to 1895 it was necessary for the corn belt farmers to economize in every possible way in order to meet necessary expenses, to say nothing of bujdng manure spreaders and turning under leguminous crops. Automobiles did not exist, and if they had existed, the farmer could not afford to own one. During this period, careful farmers did well to plaj^ even; while with the majority farming was a losing game. Crops were often sold at a price which brought the farmer less than their value as a fertilizer. INTRODUCTION 9 Even as late as 1895 the corn belt farmer did not worry much over the fact that he was depleting his soil. Since the farmer had no surplus and no working capital his farming equipment was inadequate. Corn was not considered as being worth more than three cultivations. If he wanted more corn he planted more acres. During this period of low prices the farmer's outlook was not optimistic. Let us take time to contrast this with the last five years on the farm. During the summer and fall of 1908, with corn at sixty «ents on the farm, prices of farm crops rose to a new high level; and if our memory does not fail us, it has been worth at least fifty cents per bushel (sometime during the year) for the past five years. At the date of this writing, corn is bring- ing sixty-five cents at the country elevators. With hogs and cattle at eight cents per pound there is surely a margin of profit large enough to give the thorough farmer a working capital, and a working capital means better farming. Investing the Farmers' Surplus "With corn land selling at $150 to $300 per acre, we believe that an investment of this surplus in manure spreaders and in the growing of leguminous crops to be returned to the land will bring greater returns in dollars and cents than the use of this money or credit for the purchase of more acres. There are indications on every hand that farmers as a class are beginning to appreciate this fact and to realize that it does not pay to practice crop rotations that do not include the turning under of at least one leguminous crop every five years. Another good use to which this surplus may be put is the improvement of equipment by acquiring more horses and better implements with which to do more thorough farming. What is more pathetic on the farm than to see one man trying 10 riiACnCAL CORN CULTURE to (U) \\\c Avork of two or tliree. Our own oxpei'ieiice has taiijj:ht. us that too unu-li work can hardly bo put on good corn jjfrouiid whon tlio crop is worth from fifty to sixty-tive cents l)cr l)usli('l. Jn every case additional work with us has meant an increase in the margin of prolit. Spurred on by this we have gradually increased our farm ei|uipnuMit untiljoday w«^ are iMnploying considerably more lutMi by tlu^ yi>ar than we tlid ten years ago. Although we groAv fewer acres of corn and small grain, we have many moi'c horses in the field. This increase in equipment for the pui'pose of better farming, (^including the building of houses for rnnn help), has cost us several thousand dollars, but A\lial ai'c tlu> results? In \hc lirst place we ai*e building up our farms by having more time to haul manure from town. AVith three spreaders we haul annually eight hundred tons of manure from the town of INlason City. (See Chapter A^ll.) "We are growing on an average fifteen bushels of corn more per acre than we did as late as ten ytwrs ago. AVith better land to start with we are able to cut the stalks and double disc before plowing, where corn follows corn. The corn is cultivated four to six times, the last time being with a high arch gopher cultivator. If the corn is too thick, it is thinned and suckered after the last plowing. This sums Tip briefly a\ hat we are accomplishing with our additional invi\stment in ciinipment. We are sure that what we have invested along the line of more intensive farming has paid us well in dollars and cents, and still better in satisfaction. AVhat we have done is being done by others and can be done by every land owner and fanner in the corn belt. What nbont tlu^ tiMiant rnnuer? "Many tenant farmers ar(^ jiiuoiig our In^st farnuM's and tlu> tenant really has the sanu^ opi>ort unity as the lamllord farmer, provided he has betMi iriven a long term lease. A tenant would be more INTEODICTION 11 than luiinau if ho tried to hiiiUl up a farm when he felt that his sneeessor Avonhl reap the benefits of his h\bors. A tive- year lease with priviletre of renewal, we eonsider a irood fair lease for an appreeiative tenant who has tirst been tested out on a one or two year lease. Four Factors Determink the Yield Before takina: up the culture of corn in detail, let us state brietly the four factors which enter into the producing of a crop of corn. They are : Culture, Soil, Seed and Climate. In the tirst three chapters comprising: culture wo shall ask the reader to go with us into the tields and stay with us until the crop is laid by. In the four chapters entitled "Building up the Land." we shall explain the methods followed by experiment stations and the best farmers in their efforts to increase the fertility of their farms. In addition to this, we give the results of our own experience with rotations, manure and fertilizers. The remaining chaptei*s deal with the breeding, selecting, drying and testing of corn for seed. All tield and corn illus- trations in the following chapters have been taken on our own farms during the crop seasons of 1912 and 1913. PART I CULTURE CHAPTER II Preparing the Seed Bed Iron-clad rules cannot be laid down for preparing a seed bed for corn. The methods suggested in this chapter have been found practical on our own farms and have been tested out from two to ten years. Our soil is a black level silt loam, with a deep, porous subsoil that makes a natural drain- age for surface water. A heavier soil would need more rolling, and a lighter one would need less ; so the farmer who would benefit from reading this chapter should compare each opera- tion carefully with his own practice and not make a change until he has satisfied himself it is adapted to his local con- ditions. There is a great diversity of opinion among farmers as to the best method of preparing a seed bed. There is not this difference of opinion as to what constitutes a good seed bed. The best farmers agree that an ideal seed bed, to be in good physical condition when the time comes to plant corn, must be aerated and not run together. The soil particles must be fine and free from lumps or clods. A maximum amount of moisture is conserved in the subsoil by having a shallow dust mulch on the surface. A large number of weed seeds have been sprouted and all that show on the surface have been killed immediately before planting. We 12 PREPARING THE SEED BED 13 try as nearly as possible to have these conditions at planting time. Our success varies with the season and the equipment that we can put in the fields. The implements used are those most commonly found in Central Illinois, namely: two-row stalk cutters, single disc harrows (disc pulverizers), gang and sulky plows, spike tooth (Courtesy Parlin & Orendorff. ) SINGLE-EOW STALK CUTTER harrows and a corrugated roller. All these implements, in- cluding the harrow teeth, should be as sharp as the black- smith can get them before spring work sets in. Five dollars paid the blacksmith in getting tools in shape will save many times that amount in horseflesh, besides doing a much better job in the field. 14 PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE Work on Ground before Plowing The stalk cutter should be the first implement in the field when corn follows corn. Unless the fields are very small, a two-row cutter should be used in i:>lace of a single row. In the first place, it gets over the ground twice as fast as a single row cutter, and owing to its greater weight and better balance does a much better job. The two-row cutters have tAvo tongues and are drawn by three horses. With this imple- ment a good fast team will cut twenty acres in one day. All the stalk cutters we have ever tried have been satisfactory; but the farmer who has never used a stalk cutter must not expect it to cut every stalk if the stalk growth is rank and heavy. If the stalks are heavy it will be necessary to follow with a disc harrow — either single or double discing. Where a stalk cutter is followed by a sharp disc, lapping half each time, the heaviest growth of stalks will be cut and the ground left level ready for the plow. If the ground is single disced after the cutter it is advisable to have the horses walk on the ridges. This cuts down the ridges and leaves the ground fairly level. For several years we dispensed with the use of the stalk cutter in preference to double discing; but the objection to this method was that the standing stalks continually worried the team and the time lost would almost amount to the time required to cut the stalks. When practicable, it is a good plan to run the stalk cutter on afternoons only, since the stalks are dryer and the cutter does a much better job. The disc will do nearly as good a job in the forenoon as it will in the afternoon. We have tried breaking the stalks before discing, but the results were very disappointing, since the stalks became so PREPARING THE SEED BED 15 bunched between the rows that the disc, although very sharp, would often ride over them. When we first started, several years ago, to cut the stalks on ground to go in corn, we felt that the objections would almost offset the advantages to be gained. The stalks would clog under the planter runners, and during the first cultiva- tion many hills of corn would be lifted out by the cultivator shovels catching the stalks. This was due to following directly after the stalk cutter with the plow and the stalks (Courtesy John Deere Plow Co.) FOUE-HOESE GANG PLOW This plow has two 12-inch bottoms were not cut up sufficiently to turn under. During recent years, Avhen the stalks were properly cut up and turned under as early as the 20th of April, we have had little trouble with their bothering during corn cultivation. When the stalks are turned under as late as the 10th of May, some little difficulty may be experienced in cultivating the first time. The question is often asked: Will soil dry out more quickly when the stalks are turned under? The answer is, 2 16 PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE if the stalks are turned under as early as the 15th of April, they will be thoroughly water-soaked and partially rotted by the time the corn is cultivated the first time. Stalks add some humus to the soil the first year, and the more humus there is in the soil, the better its moisture retaining qualities. Decaying stalks are very beneficial in keeping the soil loose. Loose soil allows the water to soak into the ground during a rain. On the other hand, hard packed soil will shed most of the rainfall off, especially on hilly ground. On hillsides, plowing stalks under is an additional benefit in that it prevents washes. Discing before plowing serves a three-fold purpose. It cuts up the stalks, levels down the ridges, and pulverizes the top soil, making a mulch of from two to four inches in depth. This mulch aids greatly in the re-establishing of capil- larity between the furrow slice and the bottom of the furrow. Pulverizing improves the physical condition of the soil by cutting up clods which could never be broken after they had been turned under. It is the buried clod that is more detri- mental than the one on top. We consider the disc fully as important an implement on the farm as either the plow or the harrow. Our discs are kept bright and sharp and are used over more acres than are the plows. Before the corn is planted, the field is disced at least once. By discing before and after plowing the furrow slice is pulverized clear through. Importance op Good Plowing Since plowing is the slowest and most expensive of any single operation on the farm, every effort should be made to do it right. The furrow should be straight and uniform in width and depth. The furrow slice should be clear cut and all of the dirt moved. This does not mean that there should PREPARING THE SEED BED 17 be a complete inversion of the furrow slice. With the excep- tion of heavy sods it is better to have the furrow slice slightly on edge since it will work up more easily than if completely inverted. The ends sought in plowing are to alter the texture of the soil and to bring to the surface new soil ; to bury com- pletely all vegetation and trash and to pulverize and aerate the soil. This pulverizing and aerating of the soil we consider the chief objects of plowing. The plow may invert the soil in THEEE-HOESE SULKY PLOW This plow has one 16-inch bottom the most perfect manner, but if the plow fails to do the greater part of the pulverizing of the soil as well, and leaves it in such condition that the disc and harrow cannot finish the work in the cheapest and best manner, it is failing to accomplish its principal function. This pulverizing of the furrow slice is done largely by the twist of the moldboard. For that reason a moldboard having a medium twist should be used. At present we are using four 18 PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE standard makes of gang plows on our farms, and the one with the shortest twist is doing the best work. We cannot see but that it pulls as easy as the others. Since we have never tested out the drafts of different twists of moldboards we will quote from Prof. Roberts as follows : "About 35% of the powder necessary to plow^ is used up by the friction due to the weight of the plow, and 55% by the severing of the furrow slice and the friction of the landside. If, after having done nine-tenths of the work, the plow allows the furrow slice to escape without the greatest possible amount of disintegration, great loss is sustained because the bolder and more efficient moldboard may add l)ut two or three per cent to the draft." Fall Plowing We cannot recommend fall plowing of ground in Central Illinois, except in the case of heavy sods which require the erosion during the winter months to disintegrate the soil sufficiently to work into a seed bed. Fall plowed ground leaches badly unless plowed very late. Without a cover of any kind, soil will wash during the early spring months, even on land that is considered fairly level. To fall plow hill- sides is to invite the formation of deep gulleys which will soon make the field fit only for pasture land. There are, in our opinion, just tw^o good reasons for fall plowing: First, the work is done at the slackest time of the year when both men and teams might otherwise be idle. Secondly, if the plowing is done late, it affords a splendid opportunity to kill cutworms and other insects while they are lying dormant in their winter quarters. During the last five years we have fall plowed about ten per cent of our corn ground and have winter plowed about five per cent. We do not hesitate to plow clover sod in the winter time if the PREPARING TEE SEED BED 19 ground is not too wet. In this latitude there is only about one winter in four Avhen plowing is possible because of the frost. Spring Plowing Fields which have been in corn the previous year must, of necessity, be plowed in the spring. Just how early spring plowing can start depends largely upon the weather during (Coiutcsy John Deere Plow Co.) FULL DISC HAEKOW WITH TRUCK One of the necessary implements on the farm March and April. A wet spring will delay plowing even on well drained fields. So long as the furrow slice and the particles of soil run together rather than crumble, plowing had better be postponed, unless the plowing is done very early in the spring and is followed by several frosts. There is no logic in the expression that ''if ground is plowed wet it should be worked wet all summer." Owing to the rush of spring work we have sometimes plowed ground 20 PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE when it was too wet. The results have always been very unsatisfactory, since a dry August will make the corn fire much more quickly than it would had the ground been broken at the right time. In plowing stalk ground that has first been disced, it is well not to allow too much time to inter- vene between the two operations. It is a good plan to harrow each morning what has been plowed the previous day. Time is gained rather than lost by this practice since the plowed ground must be harrowed and disced several times before a satisfactory seed bed can be made. An hour 's work on freshly plowed ground will do more toward making this seed bed than can be accomplished in two hours ^ time after the wind has been allowed to dry out the surface. Another good reason for keeping plowed ground harrowed is to conserve the moisture. One man and four horses with a 120-tooth harrow will get over from twenty-five to thirty-five acres in one day. This will prevent the escape of more mois- ture and consequently will grow more bushels of corn than if an additional five acres had been plowed and the moisture allowed to escape from the thirty acres. The argument is often advanced that spring plowed ground should not be worked down until the time to plant the corn since beating rains would make the soil too compact. This idea is wrong. If hard rains do come and pack the soil, an almost ideal seed bed can be secured by single or double discing. If the looked for rains do not come, the farmer who has worked his ground as he went along may have a seed bed when it would be impossible, even with double the work, to make one where the ground had been allowed to lie until planting time. Every effort should be made to get the fields all plowed and harrowed down before the weeds have an opportunity to grow up in the stalk fields. A growth of weeds before PREPARING THE SEED BED 21 plowing is injurious to the physical condition of the soil, since it makes it compact and allows a rapid evaporation of mois- ture. When the weeds are turned under later in the spring, they destroy the capillarity between the furrow slice and the bottom of the furrow. The necessity for cutting stalks, discing, plowing and har- rowing the corn ground — all within a short period of three FULL DISC HAREOW WITHOUT TRUCK A popular disc in Illinois or four weeks — has brought about what the farmer calls ' ' the rush of spring work," but there is no way to get around it if one expects to do good farming. A great many agricultural writers (not many of them active farmers, however) advocate eight hours as being all a man and team should be made to stand in the field. This may be all right from an ethical standpoint ; but every farmer 22 PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE knows that it is impossible to hire extra men and teams on short notice. When ''rainy days off" are taken into con- sideration, we think that a ten-hour day is not too much to ask of either man or team. Most of our own farm help come from Kentucky, where they are accustomed to plow from ''sun to sun," and consider ten hours in the field a short day's work. Depth of Plowing The depth to which ground should be plowed in order to give the best results must, of necessity, vary with conditions. There is, perhaps, no subject on which farmers and writers differ so widely as on the matter of the depth of plowing. One writer says ' ' deep plowing of sandy land is not advisable, particularly in the spring. On clay land deeper plowing should be the rule." On the other hand, a corn lecturer of national fame says: "What is known as deep plowing is generally not advisable in the corn belt, although the loose soils and bottom-lands may be plowed much deeper than the black prairie soils with less danger of bad results." While these two statements are not altogether contradictory, they have, at least, a tendency to leave the reader in doubt. In order to make ourselves more clearly understood, we shall state that we consider six inches and over deep plowing, and four inches and under shallow plowing. Plowing from four to six inches deep may be considered as medium deep plowing. Deep Plowing The advocates of deep plowing claim that since a loose, porous soil has a greater moisture holding capacity than a more compact soil, the deeper the plowing the more moisture will be retained. Deep plowing allows plant food to get PREPARING TEE SEED BED 23 deeper into the soil and thereby extends the feeding zone of the root system. Hillsides do not wash so badly when plowed deep, since the rain can sink more easily into the soil than would be the case if plowed shallow. If the plowing is going to be deeper than six inches, it had best be done in the fall because the fall rains, aided by the freezing and thawing of winter and spring, Avill re-establish the capillary connection with the subsoil. This capillarity is necessary for a good seed bed and is not so readily re-established with deep plowing as where the plowing is shallow. (Courtesy Roderick Lean Mfg. Co.) SPIKE-TOOTH LEVER HAEEOW Plowing should not be at the same depth from year to year, since such a practice does not mix the soil well and the pressure of the plow and trampling of the horses will, in time, solidify the bottom of the furrows. Where land has been plowed four or five inches deep for a number of years, we know of nothing that will make the farmer more money for the added effort involved than to plow such land six or seven inches deep and break up the crust. We plow from five to seven inches deep, depending on the time of the year, the condition of the ground, and what we are turning under. In fall plowing for corn we plow from six to seven inches. 24 PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE or as deep as the team can pull the plow. When we are turning under soy beans, however, the plowing is shallow in order to allow the plants to rot more quickly. This ground is plowed deep in the spring when the beans are put in. In plowing stalks under we try to plow six inches deep, if the ground is dry, since the stalks are covered better than in plowing four or five inches deep. Never try to cover stalks with only four inches of soil when the field is to go in corn. Subsequent cultivations will drag them out and they will be a continual source of annoyance throughout the crop tending season. Plow^ing Sod Blue-grass sod, or ground that has been in pasture for a number of years, should be plowed in the fall. In plowing blue-grass it is a good plan to plow very shallow in the fall and follow with a plowing at least two inches deeper in the spring. This is more work than is necessary to break any other sod with which we are familiar. If the sod is very tough, a wide angle moldboard should be used. This will pull more easily and will turn the sod under much better than the general purpose plows found on most farms. Clover and timothy meadows that constitute a part of the short crop rotations of the corn belt seldom become sodded enough to necessitate the use of the sod plow. If sod is plowed in the spring it should be done early. Wet sod, although it turns up slick on the bottom of the furrow slice, will not bake and become cloddy because of the presence of such an abundance of humus. Owing to the rush of farm work in the spring evei*y effort should be made to get the sod plowed by the time the corn stalk land is in condition to work. In some cases it might be well to break clover sod late in order to enrich the land with the greater amount of nitrogen PREPARING THE SEED BED 25 stored in the additional growth of clover. This plan is very satisfactory if there be sufficient rainfall during May and June. In the case of a dry summer, the clover will have already used up a large part of the moisture stored in the soil so that there is but little left for the corn. Our own experience with early and late plowed clover sod showed a difference in the yield of corn of nearly thirty bushels in favor of the early plowing. This was in the spring of 1911. In 1911 there was ample rainfall during May and the first half of June. As a result, late plowed clover sod made a good showing. This year (1913) has been hot and dry, and corn planted on late plowed sod has been almost a failure, while some early spring plowed clover sods have made as high as seventy bushels. Preparation of Plowed Ground before Planting An ideal seed bed, as stated in the beginning of this chapter, should be aerated and not run together. At the same time, the soil particles should be compressed closely around the seed in order to insure quick and even germina- tion. A maximum amount of moisture should be conserved in the subsoil by having a shallow dust mulch on the surface. Last, but not least in importance, a large number of weed seed would have sprouted, and all that show on the surface should be killed immediately before planting. When the greater part of the weeds are killed before planting and the seed bed is moist and free from clods it can safely be said that the crop is half provided for. Since the method of preparing the seed bed is determined largely by the local condition of soil and climate, we shall not attempt to give general directions for working the ground which might apply to one farm but not to another. Instead, we shall outline the methods followed on our own farms. 26 PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE As we have stated, each day's plowing is harroAved the next morning. If a hard rain comes, all the ground pre- viously plowed is again harrowed before proceeding with the plowing. If the rainfall is very heavy and many weeds have started, the ground is single pulverized in place of being harrowed. This year we had no rain on over two hundred acres from the time the ground was plowed until after the corn was planted. This was a period of four weeks without even a shower. No amount of work could make an ideal seed bed under such conditions. We did what we could to pulverize the soil and conserve what moisture we had. After the ground had been plowed and harrowed twice, it was rolled with a corrugated roller. This was followed immediately with the disc harrows lapping half. When the discing was finished, the ground was harrowed cross-wise of the discing. This harrowing pulled most of the clods to the top. For this reason we followed the harrow with a second rolling. The fields were then harrowed twice by lapping half and followed immediately by the planter equipped with furrow openers. Double discing is a slow operation. At the same time, it is the best implement we know with which to preserve mois- ture, facilitate seed bed preparation, and hasten decay of organic matter. A sharp, bright disc with the levers set well forward will work in and through the furrow slice; while smoothing harrows and corrugated rollers work only the sur- face. Four good horses and an eight-foot disc harrow will double disc (lapping half each time and leaving the ground level) forty acres in five days. Repeated discings, by keep- ing down all vegetable growth, will destroy, by starvation and exposure, all such insects as the corn-root louse, cutworms and grubworms. PREPARING THE SEED BED 27 On most soils, with a normal amount of rainfall in the spring, the roller is not needed to prepare tlie seed bed for corn. Two harrowings with a double discing between, just before planting, will put the seed bed in ideal shape three years out of four. We seldom roll directly ahead of the planter and never behind. Our experience has been that rolling causes the weeds to start quickly, which is not desirable after the corn is planted. Some implement should precede directly ahead of the planter in order to get a last whack at sprouted weed seeds before planting. If disc markers are used, the driver of the planter will have a plain mark in the freshly Avorked dirt. The use of the disc marker does away with the necessity of rolling in order to see the mark. Have Sufficient Equipment We know by experience that sufficient time is not often given to the preparation of the seed bed before planting. This is due mostly to having more ground in corn than can properly be prepared and tended. In the corn belt, where corn is king, it takes nearly twice as many horses and men to handle eighty acres of corn as it does to handle forty acres. Very often it is better to cut down the corn acreage rather than go to the expense of buying more equipment. The farmer should be prepared to handle his field work on unusual seasons wiien additional work is required to make a proper seed bed. No one can say beforehand how much work will be required to get a field in shape for planting. A field of clover sod that is plowed in the fall can sometimes be put in good shape with a single discing and one or two harrowdngs. It is usually better, however, to double disc if for no other reason than that the ground is left level. 28 PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE An example of a field that required a great deal of work was a blue-grass sod that we plowed shallow in the fall. This field was double pulverized twice, harrowed three times and rolled once — and then was not in good shape for planting the corn. The winter was dry and the sod did not rot as it usually does. If this field could have been plowed about five or six inches deep it would not have required so much work in the spring. "We know of a stalk field where the stock were allowed to run late, that broke up so cloddy that it re- quired six alternate rollings and harrowings to make a seed bed. Although there were some clods left, the field produced eighty-five bushels to the acre and the farmer was well paid for his thorough work. Frank Mann sums up this situation when he says : ' ' There is no way to get ground in good condition except to work it, and the worse condition it is in the more work is needed." Some soils require more work than others. Additional implements can be purchased on short notice, but men and horses have to be arranged for in advance. One can never tell how much time one will have in which to prepare ground in the spring for corn. In this latitude we do well to get our oats in by the fifth of April. If the weather is favorable and the ground warm, we start planting corn by the fifth of May. If wet weather kept us out of the field a week or ten days in April, we have only three weeks in which to prepare the corn ground. In our own practice we average using one horse for every eight acres that we intend to put in corn. Some of these are brood mares and are used only during the preparation of the seed bed, when every imple- ment requires four horses. We consider this ratio about right for the average season. Sometimes we could get along with fewer horses, but more often it would pay us to have more. CHAPTER III PLANTING When to Begin Planting Since the most mature corn is always the result of early planting, the farmer should make every effort to have his ground in shape by the time of year that planting is generally begun. Then, if the ground is too cold, he should wait until it warms up. We have made numerous germination tests which have convinced us that corn will not germinate or grow to advantage when the temperature of the soil is below sixty degrees. If the temperature is below fifty degrees for a week or ten days, some of the sprouted grains, although the seed is of the very best, will rot in the ground. From the fifth to the twentieth of May is considered the best time to plant corn in Central Illinois. The time varies, in any locality, from one to two weeks, depending on the soil and the weather. In the western part of Mason County, which is very sandy, planting can safely be started a week or ten days earlier than in the eastern part, where there is a heavier loam which does not w^arm up so quickly as the lighter soil. An old-time general rule was to ''Plant corn when the leaves on the white oak tree are as large as a squirrel 's foot. ' ' There is considerable significance in this fact, as the oak is tardy in showing its leaves until the ground has had its spring warming. Another good rule is to wait until volunteer corn has started to grow around the cribs and barns. If the season is very backward and the weather-man assures us that warmer 29 30 PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE weather is on the road it is sometimes advisable to start plant- ing even if the ground is a little cold, in order to finish before the season is too far advanced. At the Illinois Experiment Station at Urbana (latitude forty degrees), a six year's test shows the largest yield to come from corn planted May 4th to 9th. Proper Depth of Planting The depth of planting, like the time of planting, is governed to a considerable extent by the nature of the soil and the amount of moisture near the surface. On warm, light soil, corn should be planted deeper than where it is cold and heavy. Again, the depth of planting will be governed largely by the time of planting. In early planting, only the surface soil is warm enough to germinate the kernels. The subsoil is still wet and cold. Later, when the surface soil has become warmer and dryer, the seed may be planted deeper. In planting corn, the fact must be kept in mind that for quick germination plenty of air and warmth are just as essential as moisture. Nine years out of ten there is enough moisture in the soil to sprout the corn, although the season of 1913 was an exception. It was then necessary to plant about four inches deep in Central Illinois in order to provide sufficient moisture. While we planted over four inches deep the season mentioned, we used furrow openers on the planter runners so that by throwing out a furrow it was not necessary to cover the seed with more than two inches of dirt. We always use furrow openers on our planters and vary the depth of the furrow according to the condition of the ground, but in no case do we cover the seed with more than two inches of dirt. About one and one-half inches over the seed seems to bring the best results on our brown silt prairie soil. Repeated experiments have proved that plants cannot be made to send their roots deep into the soil by planting deep. PLANTING 31 If the object is to fortify the plant against dry weather, it is best to plant the seed in a furrow and then gradually cultivate the furrow full of soil as the plants grow. In an experiment at the Illinois Experiment Station, cover- ing a period of five years, corn was planted at depths ranging from one inch to seven inches. The greatest yields resulted from planting one inch deep. Yield in Bushels per Acre from Corn Planted at Different Depths DEPTH PLANTED IN INCHES Year 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Station 1888 1889 1890 1892 1893 109.7 83.0 77.8 65.8 51.3 84.4 83.0 72.8 64.7 48.7 100.8 51.0 70.3 62.7 40.7 88.0 87.0 58.4 70.3 40.0 73.1 81.0 62.3 56.5 33.4 60.3 92.0 60.3 58.5 29.0 '46.5" J ■Illinois Average 77.5 71.5 65.1 68.8 61.2 60.0 40.5 NOTE: The above table was. taken from Bulletin No. 31 Illinois Station. The soil at the experiment station is a deep retentive prairie soil. Too deep planting is the rule rather than the exception, especially in the case of early planting when the ground is still cold. We know of ten cases where poor stands are the result of too deep planting where one case is the result of too shallow planting. If it is necessary to get the seed into the ground, use furrow openers which will cover at a uniform depth, besides throwing all the clods out of the furrow. Drilled Corn The advantage of drilling corn is that one kernel is dropped in a place. Standing singly as it does, each plant has a fairer chance both below and above the ground to develop normally and produce well. It requires less care 32 PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE to drill than to check. This is especially true of timber- land that is covered with stumps. Drilled corn is not so liable to blow down in heavy sum- mer winds. We believe, however, that this advantage is fully offset by the freer circulation of air through fields planted in hills. A free circulation of air around the corn (Courtesy John Deere Plow Co.) MODEEN CHECK ROWER PLANTER Planting in Hills plants in August has a tendency to prevent firing. We sometimes drill sod fields if the ground is free from weeds. Three styles of modern planters are used in planting corn in hills: the round hole, or hill drop, the cumulative edge drop, and the kernel spaced edge drop. All of these are operated with a wire to check off the kernels in the hills. Round Hole or Hill Drop: This is the least complicated and the easiest to keep in repair of the check-rower planters. The round holes in the plates are large enough to admit all PLANTING 33 the kernels for one hill in each hole. Another advantage of this planter is the fact that the hole, being so large, accom- modates kernels of varying sizes. This' planter is the best for poorly graded seed; but in our opinion poorly graded seed has no place in good farming. Cumulative Edge Drop: The edge drop planter is a later invention than the hill drop and is very popular in the Corn Belt, since by using uniformly graded seed it will plant with a greater degree of accuracy than the older style hill drop. This style of planter has a number of smaller holes around the -outside edge of the plate. Each hole or slot holds just one grain which is admitted on edge. The plate, revolving almost continually, makes a quarter of one revolution for each hill planted. When the proper number of kernels have been counted out they are checked off by the check wire. Since graded corn varies less in thickness than in any other dimen- sion, it can easily be seen that the edge drop planter should plant graded corn with a higher degree of accuracy than the hill drop planter, or the cumulative drop planter, which take the kernel flat. We have used several different makes of cumulative edge drop planters on our farms during the last fifteen years. Until recently the weak point seemed to be in the dog which causes the plate to turn exactly one-quarter revolution while the planter is moving from one wire link to another. This defect has been overcome and today an edge drop planter with graded corn, in the hands of an intelligent driver, is almost as dependable as a gang plow. Kernel Spaced ChecMng: A new method of planting corn is known as kernel spaced checking. This method requires a special planter which has been gotten out in the last few years. In kernel spaced checking the kernels are placed at the corners of a five-inch square or triangle instead of being bunched, as in other methods. Since each stalk stands singly 34 PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE as in drilled corn, the advocates of this method claim for it all the advantages of drilling and checking without the dis- advantages of either. For the farmer who plants three or four grains in one hill, kernel spaced checking would perhaps increase the yield, unless there was more of a tendency to sucker than when the kernels were bunched. Since we never plant more than two and three kernels in a hill, we do not think that the advan- tage to be gained, would justify us in going to the expense of trying out this new method. A government bulletin by C. P. Hartley, entitled ''A More Profitable Corn Planting Method," deals with the subject of kernel spaced checking at length. The chief advantage of planting in hills is that the check- ing enables the corn to be cross cultivated and kept free from weeds and the entire soil surface kept in good condi- tion without the expensive labor of hoeing. Checking has continued to grow in popularity until today nine-tenths of the corn in the Corn Belt is planted in hills. Experim.ental work thus far conducted indicates that it m«akes but little difference, so far as yield is concerned, whether corn is grown in drills or in hills, provided the drilled corn is kept clean. Our own experience has satisfied us that on average corn land checked corn will outyield drilled corn; while on rich blue-grass or alfalfa sod, where as much as three grains would he planted in a hill, if checked, the drilled corn would make a slightly better showing, granting that clean culture be main- tained. Advantages in Planting v^ith a Check Rower Straight rows and even checking mean better cultivation and larger yields. Crooked rows are usually the result of carelessness or indifference, although the planter is often Q N M CJ '^ <1 ^ H — ' H ;j <1 0) 2 «} M IS 4J W ii Ah r/l O cs •^ ^ o w w p o P:H '^ -!-:> Q ^ fifi ^ lO > Ph C3 H H z <1 -31 J m PL( P^ w ^ O o P4 OJ w c3 o Hi w ffi ^ o ^ ffi C3 H -s 1— 1 LU Q . uC < o CC O o ^ u|«JO 01 lio •aiwo ■Moa oi - a* |»lox *^ •»iov Oo CO :i> ci «^ r" ,« rT' .-^"^ ■=«- O ~ r- *o s^ :#■ V^ (>, *• V. »• ^ — *>! .*° r- •ponod ojdo o c^ ^ -0 .^ '<=> cr «< r« — — '-'^ c* — 01 pnuiid c - rt - r: ■niuO 01 Up ■OIWO 01 Ql^OJd »0»0 iid ■qoo jo»9auaj *; % " « " p •* ■* J •* I ^r ** «* -^ •* " ** 'i»a ley ^ J> J J> -» it*'* oi.T.m.a «*r- ^°*f';^■,•" r.-^?*?"?''" -P:j-oo6o>n A jaqmnii .^ rt— rt — '• — rt _«l_— "lirf— — — — -' — wp9»a *» rt „ «« r» •-> •» i<) JV \ r> ^r? 1^ Ji d ^ >1 :*- ^ a. i? t« r- .1 1 «<1 tn c" ^ 1 E if S 1 a 2 0° — w- ^ ■ ^ --Zt >. c« rr it 108 PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE are planted on the next round and so on until the plot is finished. As soon as a row is planted, it is well to tie the tag on the fence just back of the row. If the tags are substantial they will serve to mark the rows until the breed- ing plot has been cultivated the last time. After the corn is laid by, it is best to place numbered stakes at the end of each row. (See illustration.) For convenience, the two sacks to be planted on each return should be taken to the far end of the plot by the driver, placing them in his pocket as he starts each round. As soon as the breeding plot is finished, the planter boxes are filled Avith the regular seed of the same variety and the rest of the field is planted. Now we have a breeding plot in a large field of the same variety. It is surrounded on three sides with the same kind of corn, which prevents foreign pollenization. If the 100 ears were carefully shelled and placed in candy sacks as suggested, it should not take more than five hours longer to plant this corn than if planted in the regular way. The breeding plot is cultivated at the same time as is the entire field ; in fact, one would not know that the breeding plot existed if it were not for the tags at the end of the rows. To secure a uniform stand, it is well to thin down to two stalks to the hill after the corn has been plowed the first time. The ears wdll be larger with two stalks to the hill than with three. Detasseling It is almost necessary to detassel alternate rows. If not detasseled, the corn in each row, being from a single ear, would otherwise be closely inbred. When the alternate rows, are detasseled, the product of the detasseled rows only is used. It can readily be seen that by this method cross pollen- ization is insured. THE ''EAR TO THE ROW" BREEDING PLOT 109 Tasseling time usually comes at a very busy season of the year, which makes it necessary to get the work done quickly as well as thoroughly. This work can be done easily by going between the rows astride a horse muzzled to prevent destroying the corn. The tassels should be pulled, never cut. The field should be gone over the first time when about two- thirds of the tassels are just beginning to show. A second going over a week later will get practically all of the re- mainder, providing the work is carefully done. About two weeks after the detasseling, the plot should be gone through and all suckers and barren stalks removed. If there are many suckers the breeder will be well repaid for this work by the increase in jdeld. Making Observations The best time for the l)reeder to make observations for maturity, soundness and position of ear on the stalk, is when the earliest rows have just matured. The beginner in corn breeding will be surprised to notice that the husks in some rows will be brown and dry, while on other rows they will be quite green. When it comes to deciding what rows to reserve, your opinion should be guided largely, but not altogether, by the weight of corn in the individual rows. If the scales alone were to make the decision, they would very likely indicate that we should keep one of the latest maturing rows, since they are often the highest yielders. To decide by weight alone would be a very serious mistake. It is not necessary to husk out and weigh separately every detasseled row in the breeding plot. The rows that promise apparent quality should be weighed out, and only those kept for seed that show a yield above the average. 110 PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE Breeding and Field Selection The purpose of the breeding plot is to determine qualities not apparent in field selection. No one, not even an expert corn judge, can pick out the highest yielders merely by looking at the individual ears. In picking for quality one might, unknowingl}^, turn down high yielders. The breeding plot and the scales give the inherent quality, while score card ONE HUNDRED HIGH YIELDING EARS OF REID 'S YELLOW DENT Used in 1913 breeding plot selection indicates apparent quality and even show corn. But show corn does not always possess the greatest utility. Hence, the selection with the ideal in mind should be com- bined with the breeding plot and scales in order to obtain seed corn that will grow the greatest number of bushels. In a herd of 25 brood sows it seldom happens that the THE ''EAR TO TEE BOW" BREEDING PLOT 111 finest show animal is the most prolific, the best mother, etc. What the individual animal has done in the past is her performance record. This is the best assurance of what she will do in the future. At the same time, it is very desirable that she conform as closely as possible to the score card. The same is true of corn. Corn is even more susceptible to breeding than either cattle or hogs, since there is more room for improvement. For the farmer to know that his seed corn for the coming season is from a high yielding strain and will show a high germination test should be as impor- tant to him as to know that his hogs are prolific or that his cattle are easy feeders. Results Obtained in Breeding Corn Progress in corn breeding is necessarily slow. Neverthe- less, it should be every breeder's earnest endeavor to make this progress steady and sure. To be perfectly candid, we must say that in not a single instance have we ever obtained spectacular results in corn breeding. If one were to start with a very low type of corn the results through careful selection and breeding would undoubtedly be very marked. But starting with the very best type of the several varieties, the improvement is not so rapid. In order not to be handi- capped, the breeder should always start with the very best seed that can be obtained. Our own work in corn breeding tends to show that the ear has very little hereditary tendency to reproduce itself in size. The matter of size depends more on local field condi- tions and the hereditary tendency of the kernel. On the other hand, like kernels from small and large ears of the same variety often produce ears of the same size. This tends to prove that a good shaped kernel is of more importance than a good shaped ear. Medium sized ears out-yield exceptionally 8 112 PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE large ears because the very large ear is generally later in maturing. Hence, the kernel does not have the vitality pos- sessed by the kernel from the smaller ear. We believe, by carefully selecting our seed from the high yielding rows in the breeding plots and, at the same time, following the rules for field selection, we can accomplish as much in one year as we could in five by using field selection alone. We are so sure of this that we are conducting three breeding plots. Since the results of the breeding plots are always affected to a considerable extent by season and varying soil conditions, we are not prepared, as yet, to make the above statements dogmatically. It will take several more years' experiment on our part to prove or disprove the above points. The breeder who guesses at results is a hindrance and not a help to corn improvement. There are other points, however, on which we are con- vinced beyond a doubt : First, a medium type of any variety of corn will out-yield a very rough type. The result of last year's breeding indicates that the rough type averaged in yield only 89.6 per cent of that of the medium type. Mr. Chas. A. Rowe of Jacksonville has obtained practically these same results. Some breeders have had results proving that a very smooth type will out-yield the rough. We consider, however, the smooth type a dangerous extreme, since it does not dry out as well as the rougher type. (The rougher the type the longer the average length of kernels.) Our results show that the detasseled rows do not yield as well as the rows where the tassels are not interfered with. Even if the work is carefully done, pulling the tassels cuts the yield about 5 per cent. The loss is correspondingly greater if the work is carelessly done. This shows that detasseling should be undertaken only in the breeding plot and for the express purpose of insuring cross pollenization. o I— I ft 3:1 O w W O H P^ < 114 PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE Suckering corn and cutting out barren stalks increase the yield sometimes as much as forty per cent, depending on the number of suckers and the dryness of the season. Our greatest gain was the result of cutting out over half the stalk growth on a very dry year (1913). The sooner this work can be done after the corn tassels, the better. Two men in six days can cut out the suckers and barren stalks in the average forty-acre field. It is not necessary to have an *'ear to the row" breeding plot in order to test the results of detasseling and suckering. These two experiments can be made in any field of corn. There are hundreds of things to be determined by corn breeding, but the work is so slow that no one individual can be expected to establish more than a few facts. Realizing that co-operation was necessary in order to make the most rapid progress, the Illinois Seed Corn Breeders' Association was organized in 1900. One member of this association, Louie H. Smith, assistant chief in plant breeding at the University of Illinois, has succeeded in breeding a high and low protein and high and low oil corn. Mr. Smith's work along this line of breeding has extended over fifteen years. His results are undoubtedly the most pronounced of any that have been attempted in corn breeding. The work of producing hybrid seed has been carried on by H. J. Sconce, of Sidell, 111. Mr. Leigh F. Maxey, of Curran, 111., has perhaps done more than any other indi- vidual in breeding and establishing the type characteristic of Leaming corn. Obstacles to Contend with in Breeding Corn The corn breeder is often discouraged by adverse condi- tions over which he has no control. Cutworms may make the stand so uneven that the weight of the corn in the indi- TEE ''EAR TO THE BOW" BREEDING PLOT 115 vidual rows would be of no advantage. "We have had a breeding plot ruined by water standing in a depression in the center of the field. If the scales are to help select seed by pointing out high yielding strains, the stand must be uniform. This last summer of 1913, which was one of the dryest crop years we have ever seen, was a poor year for indicating the relative value of seed from the different rows. We do not consider our results from that year's breeding to be of half the value of those obtained in 1911 and 1912. While these facts are discouraging, the com breeder is still better -off than the grower of pure bred hogs, who may lose his entire herd from cholera. Caring for the Best Ears After the corn has been carefully husked and weighed, the best ears from the most desirable rows should be care- fully dried by laying on racks. The racks can be of wood or wire, or the corn can be strung on binder twine. If the breeding plot is gathered in October, it can safely be dried by hanging in a dry loft ; but if gathered later, it is generally best to dry in a mildly heated room, since the germ might be injured by a sudden cold spell coming before the moisture was all out of the ear. One should never go to the other extreme and lay corn on boards over the furnace. This, of course, will soon dry the corn, but it will also cause some of the oil to evaporate, which undoubtedly weakens the germ. These methods of securing high yielding seed may seem too expensive to some, but when one stops to consider that an increase of only ten per cent often means a difference of from 100 to 400 bushels, on the average farm, one can see that this time is well spent. Corn shows and short courses in corn judging are for 116 PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE the purpose of educating farmers and farmers' boys to grow more prolific seed and to know how to select and care for it through the winter. To get the greatest benefit from these courses offered in corn judging, they should be supplemented by practical work in corn breeding on the farm. This chapter has been taken in the main from an article in the January 15th issue of the Prairie Farmer entitled ''Breeding Corn for Quality and Productiveness," by Ralph M. Ainsworth. Bibliography ''Ten Generations of Corn Breeding." By Louie H. Smith. 111. Agri. Ex. Sta. Bulletin No. 128. "Increased Yields of Corn from Hybrid Seed." By G. N. Collins. U. S. Dept. of Agri. 1910. "The Production of Good Seed Corn." By C. P. Hartley. U. S. Farmers' Bulletin No. 229. "The Study of Corn." By Vernon M. Shoesmith. CHAPTER XI DRYING AND STORING SEED CORN The importance of preserving all the vitality by gather- ing the seed corn for next year's planting before cold freezing weather sets in is being appreciated more and more by farm- ers and corn growers. There are, however, a large number of farmers who still depend for the coming year's seed upon the occasional good ear found throughout the husking season. Still others are satisfied with the best looking ears found ni the corn crib in the spring. The loss sustained by these two classes varies with the mildness or severity of late fall weather and the picker's ability to detect the sound from the unsound seed ears. Let us say right here that even the most experienced are sometimes deceived in the condition of the ear by the appear- ance of the germ. A yellow or brownish embryo and germ indicate that the corn has been frozen. When the embryo is wrinkled or pale in color it usually means a loss of vitality due to long storage. Old corn that has been carried over one summer should never be planted if sound new corn can be secured. "While old corn will usually grow, it is always slow in starting, due to the evaporation of some of the oil from the germ. i t,-4. A good healthy germ and embryo should be nearly white ; but germination tests prove that some kernels have white clean cut germs and still send up a weak sprout due to exposure and bad storing. The only way to be sure that seed will grow is to plant only seed that has been carefully dried before hard freezing weather sets in. 117 118 PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE Time to Gather Seed Corn In this latitude, October is undoubtedly the best month in which to gather seed corn. If this important work is put off until the middle of November, the vitality of the seed may be injured by wet weather, followed by a hard freeze. On the other hand, it is not a good plan, as a general rule, to gather seed as early as September. Unless there are indi- cations of early freezes, corn should be allowed to ripen in the field. Professor P. G. Holden, in "Successful Corn Cul- ture," says, ''It is not a good plan to harvest the seed in MODERN SEED CORN DRYING PLANT September while the corn is immature, as it is more difficult to preserve, will be chaffy and give weaker plants than corn which has been allowed to fully mature on the stalk." Seed corn that has been picked before it is matured shows a shriveled condition of the kernels after it is thoroughly dried. Best Place for the Farmer to Store Seed Corn A storeroom or bedroom that can be spared is the best place for the farmer to store seed corn. The attic, if not too inaccessible, is also a good place, although zero weather before DRYING AND STORING SEED CORN 119 the corn was dry would weaken some of the sappiest ears unless the attic could be heated. Notwithstanding the danger of frost, the attic is far ahead of the cellar. If there is a furnace in the cellar the corn is apt to dry too quickly or to become too dry. Remember, if corn is allowed to become too dry, it will be slow in starting in the spring. If there is no furnace in the cellar, the corn will dry too slowly unless it is well dried before being placed there. Again, the average cellar does not have sufficient ventilation for the proper drying and storing of corn. On all good drying days the windows should be thrown wide open. There is nothing .that dries seed better than a warm, dry breeze blowing through it as it lays on the racks. When the weather is damp, the windows should be closed if a door can be opened into the rest of the house. If not, the windows should never be closed entirely, unless the room is very large and the amount of corn small. If a tight room is filled with new corn, the corn is apt to mold, no matter how well it is hung up, unless the room is constantly ventilated. Moisture, as it leaves the corn, must have some means of escaping. Laying on Racks For several years past, we have dried all of our ear seed corn on wooden racks. These racks are built of one by four inch uprights in which tenpenny nails are driven every four inches and on which heavy lathe are laid. (See illustration.) The racks are all placed on slatted floors which permit perfect ventilation. There are a number of good ways to dry seed corn. An old and very good plan is to string the ears on binder twine and suspend them from the ceiling. Of late years, various kinds of wire hangers for drying corn have been placed on the market. If these hangers are not placed too close together they will dry the corn as well as any other m O o o 02 o DRYING AND STORING SEED CORN 121 method. If the hangers are made out of woven fence wire, tliey tangle badly when the corn is removed, and, if made of steel, they are rather too expensive. Storing Seed Corn on a Large Scale In order to drv corn to the best advantage, the drying room should be sJ constructed that it can be thrown open on all sides in mild weather. It should be tight enough when closed up to enable it to be evenly heated in cold weather. A plant built especially for drying corn for seed should be tall with the floors slatted to allow a free circulation ot air from bottom to top. There should always be ventilating flues in the roof, and these should never be closed until the corn is dry. Corn should be gathered early and taken direct to the plant where it is picked over the same day and laid on racks or put in ventilated cribs. Corn, to show the highest germination, should be gathered as soon as it has ripened in the field and stored in a room that is frost proof and at the same time thoroughly ventilated. Great advancement has been made in the last ten years m the construction of buildings made especially for the drying and preparing of seed corn for market. Some well venti- lated and thoroughly heated plants have not given the best results, simply because they were filled too full of seed corn. We are of the opinion that in order to obtain the best results no seed drying plant should be filled to more than one-half of its crib capacity. CHAPTER XII PREPARING SEED CORN FOR PLANTING There is only one way by which the farmer can be certain that his seed corn is strong in vitality, that is, to give it a germination test. By an examination of the germ, most of us can tell whether the kernel is healthy or dead; but no man's judgment can be depended upon to detect unerringly the strong from the weak. For this reason, a sample from all corn to be planted should be tested and, if it does not show a germination of at least ninety-five per cent, each individual ear should be tested. One hundred good sized ears will plant ten acres. One man can easily examine and place in the tester the kernels from four hundred ears in one day. This is enough seed to plant forty acres, and if only a few weak or dead ears are revealed by the test, the farmer is well repaid for his trouble. This question is often asked, If the corn is selected from the field before freezing weather sets in and is properly dried will it be necessary to test it? If all this has been done, it will perhaps not be necessary to test each ear; but in order to be sure the seed is strong, a fair composite sample should be tested. If the results do not show uniformly strong sprouts, the ears should be individually tested and the weak thrown out. There are so many different conditions that can weaken the vitality of seed corn that the only safe plan is to test at least a sample. All seed sent out by reliable seed corn growers is sold under a definite germination guarantee of from ninety to ninety-seven per cent. This germination is determined after 122 PREPARING SEED CORN FOR PLANTING 123 making numerous tests from all parts of the plant. If a certain percentage of germination is guaranteed the grower is honor bound, as well as required by law, to replace or return the purchase price for all seed falling short of germi- nation standard. If there is any doubt about the vitality of seed corn pur- chased from a seed firm or neighbor, it should be tested before making a complaint. A conservative seed corn grower will always guarantee less than the results of the germina- tion tests, as most breeders do. A guarantee of ninety-five per cent is a strong guarantee for seed that will usually go over ninety-nine per cent. Some customers, in placing their order for seed corn, state that they expect to test the seed when it arrives; and if it does not test a certain amount, it will be returned. This is sometimes a stiff proposition but it is made fairly and squarely. The breeder alone knows whether or not his seed will come up to the requirements and the order should be accepted or declined accordingly. The Four Essentials of Germination All seeds, to make the most rapid growth, must be strong in vitality. The seed bed also must be of the right tempera- ture and must contain the proper amount of moisture and oxygen. If corn is gathered before it has had time to ripen in the field, the kernels will be immature. Immature corn, due to the larger amount of sugar in the kernels, will usually germinate rapidly under ideal conditions, but since it has a small reserve of plant food, the kernels will rot if the ground is cold and wet, before the young rootlets have a chance to draw from outside sources. 124 PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE Again, the vitality of the seed will be weakened if sul)- jected to either repeated freezing or high temperatures. Corn will germinate between the wide variation of from forty-eight to one hundred and fifteen degrees. It will make the most IDEAL '^N TESTER ss Maine ^. T" MODEEN SEED COBN TESTEK rapid growth, however, at ninety-three degrees. Since it will make a more hardy growth at about eighty degrees, this is perhaps the best temperature for germination. Moisture is just as essential as proper temperature. Water softens the seed covering, dissolves the plant food and carries PREPARING SEED CORN FOR PLANTING 125 it to the growing embryo. Too much moisture, however, means too little oxygen. This is the principal reason for seed rottmg in heavy, wet land. Corn cannot make rapid growth without an abundance of air. The Seed Tester Conditions which apply to the field apply equally well to the seed corn tester. If the seed corn tester is to show accurately by its results the true condition and the relative value of the different ears, it must provide sufficient moist- ure, give ample ventilation, and keep the temperature be- tween sixt}^ and one hundred degrees. It had better fall below sixty degrees than go above one hundred degrees. In order not to give some of the kernels an advantage over others, the moisture, temperature and ventilation should be uniform in all parts of the tester. The trays should be pigeonholed off in such a manner that the kernels from each ear can be placed in a separate pocket so that their identity will not be lost. A good time to test seed corn is in March. This is late enough for all the ears to show their true condition and is early enough to allow the farmer to procure more seed, if the test is unsatis- factory, before spring work requires his attention. Shelling and Grading Corn for Planting Before corn is shelled, it should be carefully tipped and butted since the tip and butt grains are irregular in size, besides being smaller and larger than the type desired. After the uneven grains are shelled off the tip and butt ends, the remaining kernels should be carefully examined and all off-colored or undesirable grains removed. The ears are now shelled. If the shelling is done by (Cjurtesy A. T. Feirell & Co.) LARGE SEED COEN GRADER 128 PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE machinery, the spring tension should be as loose as possible consistent with effective work. If considerable corn is cracked in shelling, the indications are that the corn was either too dry, or the sheller is not properly adjusted. In order to secure a uniformity, a corn grader should be used. There are hundreds of corn graders on the market. They range in price from five dollars for small ones to eight hundred dollars for large graders used in large seed corn drying plants. The very cheapest corn graders will do better work than will the average farm fan mill. A good grader should take out all the large and small grains and about nine-tenths of the cracked kernels. It is necessary to take out from twenty per cent to forty per cent in order to have an even grade. The difference in yield between graded and ungraded seed is often as much as ten bushels per acre. This difference is due to the more even planting of graded seed, not because the smaller and larger kernels are poorer yielders. Additional Reading ''The Study of Corn." By Vernon M. Shoesmith. ''Corn." By Bowman and Crossby. "Seed Corn Must Make Good." By L. C. Hutcheson. Corn. March, 1913. "Make Corn Growing Pay." The Fruit Grower and Farmer, 1913. "Getting Ready for This Year's Corn Crop." Twentieth Century Farmer. February 22, 1913. "Ten Bushels More Corn to the Acre." By Robt. H. Moul- ton. Fruit Grower and Farmer. March, 1913. "It Pays to Test the Seed Corn." By Arthur Lumbrick. The Prairie Farrrier. March 15, 1913. CHAPTEE XIII INSECT ENEMIES AND PLANT DISEASES Of all the obstacles to the successful growing of corn, none has ever shown itself in a more serious aspect than the destruction due to injurious insects and plant diseases. The problem of how to control them is a hard one and should receive the attention of every farmer. We do not feel competent in ourselves to handle this subject of insects and diseases attacking corn, and for this reason we have appealed to Prof. S. A. Forbes, Illinois State Entomologist, who has carefully helped us by correcting and revising this chapter. In addition to this we want to thank Professor Forbes for furnishing us illustrations of insects. On the following pages we shall describe briefly the more injurious of these insects, and suggest remedies with which to suppress them. Insects Injuring the Seed After Planting The Corn Wireivorm (Several species of melanotiis): These are the larvae (offspring) of the common snapping beetles. They are hard, smooth-skinned, reddish brown, worm-like creatures, and vary in size from the thickness of a pin to the thickness of a darning-needle. The body is divided into thirteen segments, and has three pairs of short, stout legs. The corn wireworm eats into the kernel after it has been softened by the moisture in the ground, and also bores into 129 130 PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE and even through the underground part of the stalk. This usually results in the total destruction of the plant. Their eggs are laid most commonly in grasslands, and their life history is such that their injuries to corn are most severe the second year after grass. Late fall plowing and r" j$' The Corn Wire- worm (Melano- tus cribulosusj larva. The Corn Wireworm (Melanotus cribulosua) adult. crop rotation with frequent clover crops are the practical methods employed to prevent injury by this insect. Seed Corn Maggot (Phorhia fusciceps): This maggot eats the interior out of both sprouting and unsprouted ker- nels. The adult is very similar in appearance to the common INSECT ENEMIES AND PLANT DISEASES 131 house fly. Severe injuries by this insect are unusual, and there is no known method of preventing them. Insects Attacking the Roots The Corn Root Louse (Aphis) : Every farmer has noticed the little blue insects clustered in great numbers on the L^/I ADULT OF SEED CORN MAGGOT Phorbia Fusciceps jM LARVAE OF SEED CORN MAGGOT Phorbia Fusciceps roots of the corn. They feed on the juice of the corn root, and if present in large numbers sometimes kill the plant. Later in the season another kind of aphis is found on the 132 PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE leaves, husks and tassels of the plant. There seems to be a partnership existing between the corn root lonse and the com- mon field ant. The ant places the young of the aphis on the roots of the corn plant and for this service it feeds on a liquid known as honeydew, which exudes from the body of the louse. Remedy: Thorough cultivation, by checking the work of the ants has a wonderful effect in lessening the number THE CORN ROOT LOUSE Aphis maidiradicis (female) of the lice. If the ants are working much around the hills we harrow the young corn. Where furrow openers are used the harrowing pulls loose dirt around the hills and effectu- ally checks the work of the ants until after the next rain. Rotation, however, is a standard practical method of check- ing the injury although it cannot be said to eradicate this pest. As the ants winter in old cornfields, with the eggs of the INSECT ENEMIES AND PLANT DISEASES 133 root lice in their nests, the best preventive of injury is to prepare the field for corn by deep and early plowing and repeated discing. This tears up the ants' nests and scatters the root-louse eggs through the dirt, at the same time keeping down the young weeds upon which the root lice live until the corn begins to grow. The corn root louse has perhaps worked a greater injury to corn than any other one insect. Every farmer should THE CORN EOOT LOUSE Aphis maidiradicis (female) study the habits of this insect and make every effort to check its injurious work. The Corn Root Worm (Diahrotica longicornis): The adult of the corn root worm is a beetle; green or yellowish green in color and about a quarter of an inch long. The beetle feeds on the pollen and silk and deposits her eggs in the ground at the base of the stalk. The following spring these eggs hatch out into the corn root worms. 134 PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE Since the corn root worm is dependent for its food upon the roots of the corn the eggs are seldom deposited outside of the cornfield. It is due to this fact that a cornfield is never injured by the corn root worm the first year and even the second year the damage done is usually very slight. But if the field is put in corn three or four years in succes- sion it is very doubtful if the last two crops ever escape without serious injury. In some cases we have known the yield of corn to be lowered from thirty to forty per cent as a direct result of the ravages of these insects. The corn root worm lives on the roots of the corn plant. They often eat off the ends of the roots of the plant and then burrow just under the outer covering of the root the entire length of the root. The corn root worm can be easily found by carefully splitting an injured root. It is usually about three-eighths of an inch long and about the thickness of a pin and of a white or flesh color. It can safely be said that the damages resulting from the corn root worm are due entirely to the bad practice of con- tinuous corn cropping. If a rotation of crops is adopted in which corn is never grown longer than two years in suc- cession we shall soon have the corn root worm under easy control. If crop rotation were only as effective in checking other insects as it is in heading off the corn root worm, the insect problem would not present the serious aspect it does. White Grub (several species of lachno sterna:) This is the larvae of the common May beetle. These beetles usually deposit their eggs in fields of grass, timothy and small grains, and especially in the vicinity of timber where they feed. The eggs hatch into small brown-headed grubs, which feed on the grass and corn roots. They do not attain their full growth until the third or fourth year. They are most abundant in old blue-grass pastures. Their presence can INSECT ENEMIES AND PLANT DISEASES 135 be detected by the fact that the grass dies out in the spots where they are thickest. The surest way to rid the cornfield of grubworms is to pasture it with hogs the summer before it is put in corn. The hogs will root to a depth of a foot or more in search of grubs. A cornfield that is hogged down is usually free from White Grub, (L. rugosa) A June bug, adult of white grub, (Lach- nosterna rugosa, a), last segments of male, from beneath grubs the next year. Rotating with clover and alfalfa is an effective means of checking the grubs. The 1913 report of the United States Department of Agriculture places the damage from white grubs in Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois at $7,000,000 during the year 1912. Insects Attacking the Stalk Cutworms : There are a number of species of cutworms, all of which are more or less troublesome to the farmer. They are mostly clumsy and greasy-looking caterpillars of 136 PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE a grayish or brownish color and from one to two inches long. The cutworm works mostly at night and during cloudy weather and stays in its hiding place on bright days. -S.--:^* ^-: 1^ Glassy Cutworm (Hadina devastrix) It works its injury to the corn by cutting off the young plant just above the ground. The adults of cutworms are moths. Adult of Glassy Cutworm Late fall plowing is almost a sure remedy since the cut- worm is thrown on the surface and exposed to freezing weather. At this time of year the worm is in the dormant state and is unable to burrow back into the ground. INSECT ENEMIES AND PLANT DISEASES 137 A method which we have found very effective in exter- minating cutworms on our own fields is to work the ground at such frequent intervals in the spring that every particle of vegetation is destroyed. If no plant growth is allowed to start during April the greater portion of the cutworms will be killed by starvation. This insect cannot withstand hot weather with no green vegetation to feed upon. Fortunately these worms have many natural enemies; among them are the quail, robin, thrush and other birds, which together keep their numbers down to a considerable extent. These birds are among the best friends the farmer has and should be protected in every way possible. There are many other insects which attack the stalk and ear but the limitations of this book will not permit of their description. PLANT DISEASES Ear Rot: This is a mold and belongs to the great group of plants called fungi. The ear rot is whitish or pinkish in appearance and in many cases the husks and silks are cemented to the ear. The affected parts have lost their sub- stance and are light in weight and brittle in appearance. It is not definitely known how ear rot is caused, but it is generally conceded that moisture and temperature have con- siderable to do with it. We are of the opinion that dry weather in the fall followed by several weeks of warm wet weather are ideal conditions for the spreading of this dis- ease. We had such a season as this in the fall of 1911, which was the year when dry rot wrought its greatest damage in central Illinois. When the weather conditions are not so favorable the disease seems to be confined to the very tip of the ear, in which case the damage is very slight. It is estimated that the loss to the corn crop in the United 138 PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE States from this disease must sometimes amount to at least $25,000,000 in one year. Remedy: Since the spores live through the winter on the old corn stalks some authorities urge the farmer to burn the old stalks. It is our opinion, however, that the stalks turned under will be a greater benefit to the land than the injury due to the ear rot will be to the crop. Since the ear rot does not attack any other crop than corn it is better to put the field in some other crop and the corn on new ground if the field was badly affected with the disease the year before. Smut: Besides ear rot, smut is the only other disease which injures corn to any extent. Smut in appearance is greenish white or black and is usually noticed on the green stalk or leaf. Smut grows very rapidly and sometimes forms balls four inches in diameter. These balls are composed of millions of plants which are individually too small to be seen with the naked eye. While infection may be brought about directly by the spore alighting on the corn plant it is chiefly due to the conidia which are the result of the spore germi- nating in manure or heavily manured soil. "While corn smut is abundant all over the United States, it seems that the injury in any one field is never great. Every year we see more or less smut in our own fields, but we have never known a field to be injured as much as one per cent. It is claimed by many farmers that smut is injurious to cattle and horses and that it is the cause of the corn-stalk disease. In order to prove or disprove this opinion the Bureau of Animal Industry has carried on a number of experiments in feeding smut to cattle and horses. The results of these experiments show that there are no injurious effects produced by feeding smut. The best way to kill smut is to cut out and burn the diseased stalks, but this will not pre- vent its reappearance unless it is practiced over a large territory. INSECT ENEMIES AND PLANT DISEASES 139 Rotation, Careful Preparation of the Seed Bed and Thorough Culture are the Best Means of Preventing Insects and Diseases We stated in the chapter on ''Rotation of Crops" that crop rotation was worth more than all other methods com- bined in checking insect enemies and plant diseases. We want to repeat here that the greater part of the injury result- ing from insects and diseases attacking corn can be traced directly to the continuous cropping of corn year after year. The methods we have used in checking these pests on our own farms are crop rotation, thorough and clean culture, •and in some cases fall plowing and pasturing with hogs. Various insecticides are practical and helpful to the gardener and orchardist, but in our opinion they are rather too expen- sive for the Corn Belt farmer. Farmers by co-operation can often accomplish more than they could by individual efforts. All toads, most of the snakes and birds, and many of the in- sects are the farmers' friends, and should be protected in every way possible. CHAPTER XIV CORN LETTERS FROM THIRTY FARMERS ''No man Tcnows all there is to he Tcnown ahout farm- ing — let us all get together and learn from each other.'' From the above quotation we received the inspiration to write to thirty-five of the best farmers in the Corn Belt and ask them to give ns the benefit of their experience as corn growers. The thirty letters on the following pages are the result of our investigation. It was necessary, because of the lack of space, to condense some of the letters but in no case have we taken anything from these letters because it advocated a practice contrary to our own. Some of these methods of culture described are different from our own ideas but we are firmly convinced that the letters taken as a whole advocate a practical, thorough cul- ture and represent the methods employed by the best farmers in the different parts of the Corn Belt. "We want to thank, sincerely, our farmer friends who took the time to send us these splendid letters telling how they grow corn. From some of the letters we have received some valuable suggestions which we expect to test out next spring and summer. Experience is surely the best teacher and for this reason we have tried to eliminate theory and make this book a book of corn experience. How well we have succeeded must be left to the judgment of the reader. 140 CORN LETTERS FROM THIRTY FARMERS 141 Larchland, Illinois. W. T. Ainsworth &, Sons, Mason City, Illinois. Gentlemen: — Our soil is heavy, rich and level. I plow what ground I can in the fall and the rest in the spring, and it is plowed as deep as the team can pull the plow. It should be plowed eight to ten inches deep. All stalks are cut and turned under in order to add humus to the soil. As soon as the ground is plowed in the spring it is harrowed and later it is worked into a seed bed with the harrow and disc. I use weeders both before and after the corn is up in preference to the harrow. I start plowing corn when it is from two to six inches tall. The first time over I cultivate deep, but later cultivations are shallower. I cultivate the corn all I have time to^ which, of course, varies with dif- ferent seasons. The cultivation is always continued until the corn is so tall it begins to break under the arch of the cultivator. I shall look forward to receiving your book on ''Practical Corn Culture." Very respectfully yours, H. KALLISTA. Areola, Illinois, April 9th, 1913. W. T. Ainsworth & Sons, Mason City, Illinois. Dear Sirs: — I am writing in answer to your letter to give you my experience as a corn grower. Our soil is a black, heavy loam and is very level; in fact, it is so level that it is necessary to survey before laying tile. We think our soil is the cream of the Corn Belt, at least that is what the wise men at Champaign tell us. I prefer to have my corn ground plowed in the fall and usually succeed in getting all the sod and pasture plowed at that time. I am fully convinced that fall plowing should be at least six inches deep. Since the stalks add humus I prefer to cut them and turn them under. If the tenant farmer is not equipped with implements for cut- ting the stalks he had better burn them, where corn follows corn, since they will be in the way of cultivation. If the ground is packed we use the disc, if freshly plowed the spike-tooth harrow in preparing the seed bed. We usually harrow ground just after plowing. I consider all work on the seed bed time well spent. 142 PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE We plant with a check-rower planter three feet four inches each way. When three to four inches high the corn is cultivated about three inches deep. The small shovels are used for the first two plowings and for the later cultivating the surface cultivator. The last plowing is not over two inches deep. We cultivate from three to four times, depending on the season. The corn is plowed until it is so tall it breaks badly. If the season is dry we drag between the rows with a planter wheel, single harrow or one-horse cultivator. Eespectfully yours, JOSEPH COMBS. P. S. — We are experimenting with alfalfa in a small way. Weldon, Illinois, April 28th, 1913. W. T. Ainsworth & Sons, Mason City, Illinois. Gentlemen: — Our soil, a deep, retentive loam, is heavy and level. All stalks are of necessity plowed in the spring. I do not believe in burning stalks. The soil needs all the humus that can be put back on it. Turning stalks under helps to keep the ground loose. In working plowed ground down, we use the spike tooth harrow and disc. AH ground plowed the day before is harrowed down the next morning. The corn is planted with a check rower planter and is checked three feet six inches one way and three feet four inches the other. The corn is always harrowed before it comes up and after if it is necessary to kill the weeds. I start cultivating the corn when it is about four inches tall. Surface cultivators are used altogether, and they are run just deep enough to cut off and cover all weeds. We cultivate from three to four times and lay by when the corn is from three to four feet tall. In preparing the seed bed I use an iron corrugated roller to ad- vantage if there are many clods. I consider the corrugated roller one of the best implements on the farm. A^ery respectfully yours, S. MILLER. CORN LETTERS FROM THIRTY FARMERS 143 Unionville, Mo., April 20th, 1913. Messrs. W. T. Ainsworth & Sons, Mason City, Illinois. Gentlemen: — I am of the opinion that, but few farmers realise the importance of the properly prepared seed bed, and a good many who do realize it, do not put it into practice. Many of us make noble resolutions in December but fail to carry them out in May. I have seen many farmers plow sod in the spring, disc and harrow once, and plant twice, (the first planting did not come up), with the natural result that the corn-pens were slim in the fall. I know of a farmer who did not work sod ground this last year, until time to plant. His reasons were, that the season had been wet the year before and the plowed ground was better if left alone. But this season was dry, with the results that this field on sod made only ten bushels per acre. It is always safe to work sod ground down, and the drier the season is, the more work will be needed, and the better the work will pay. Sod should be disced from two to four times, depending on its toughness. I disced one field four times this year, and there is no doubt but that it paid me. I use the disc and harrow in preference to the drag. If the ground is not too wet, I harrow the corn after it is planted. It pays to buy good seed corn of a reliable breeder. PEAEL FIFE. Mr. Fife is a breeder of pure bred O. I. C. SWINE. Atoka, Oklahoma, April 22nd, 1913. W. T. Ainsworth & Sons, Mason City, Illinois. Gentlemen: — I am somewhat surprised and pleased to see that Illinois farmers ask advice from an Oklahoma farmer in regard to growing corn. The methods I follow would not be well suited to Illinois conditions, but they are practiced by the most enterprising farmers in all sections when there is a deficiency of rainfall. As soon as the corn is gathered the stalks are cut and the ground listed up with a fourteen-inch lister and subsoiled with a long, shallow plow. After plowing, the ground should be let alone until spring. When I am ready to plant in the spring I relist, subsoil and plant. For the first cultivation I use four long calf-tongue plows and plow good and deep. The next plowing I use shovel plows. I lay by with a disc cultivator when the corn is about waist high. Yours truly, DUTCH JONES. 10 144 PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE Luray, Mo., April 19, 1913. W. T. Ainsworth & Sons, Mason City, Illinois. Dear Sirs: — Yours of recent date received in regard to corn raising. I have a light rolling soil which I plow in the spring if it is stalk ground. I think spring plowing will produce a bigger crop than fall plowing, since the ground does not run together badly. Since this is a shallow soil I generally plow about four inches deep, I never burn stalks when corn follows corn, but drag them down and plow them under, since they prevent the soil from washing on rolling land and help to keep up the fertility. I use split log drags and tooth harrows for working the ground down after plowing. I plow all the ground that I plant to corn before planting any, usually drag or harrow the ground twice before planting, and then harrow after planting before it comes up. I never harrow corn after it is up. The corn is usually three or four inches tall when I cultivate it the first time. I use six-shovel cultivators and I consider them the best, all things considered. I cultivate three times and the corn is usually from two to three feet tall when I lay it by. Yours truly, A. L. PORTEE. Kentland, Indiana, April 12th, 1913. W. T. Ainsworth & Sons, Mason City, Illinois. Gentlemen: — The soil in this community is a black loam, with just a little sand. It is nearly level, and well drained. I generally plow my oats stubble in the fall. I try to plow be- tween seven and eight inches, and not lay the furrows too flat, as this ground has a tendency to run together. I like early plowing as it is generally dry and plows up lumpy, so that when the time comes to prepare it for corn, it is mellow, and works up fine. In the spring as soon as the oats are sowed I take the spreader and top dress all the spots that I know to be thin. As soon as the manure is spread, I start my solid-wheel disc, generally crosswise, the way it was plowed. Just as soon as I get it disced once, I change to the spader and go the long way, and follow with the harrow. This puts the ground in fine shape, if we have an average season, but I found it necessary to disc my ground four times last year, and I am sure it paid. I generally follow about a day being the harrow with my corn planter. This gives the top of the ground time to dry off, and you don't have to use scrapers on your planter. I aim to plant two CORN LETTERS FROM THIRTY FARMERS 145 grains to the hill, and three by six each way. As soon as I finish planting, I harrow the field crosswise, and as soon as the corn begins to come up, I harrow it the other way, I do not wait for the corn to get a given height, but put in my eight-shovel eagle claw cultivator and walk, as I don't believe a man can do as good a job riding. I believe if you do not get up to the corn the first and second times and get the weeds out of the hills, you will have weeds in the fall. In this section of the Corn Belt, the use of all surface plows, from the first, I think is a mistake, since the rains beat the ground down, and it requires the shovel plow to loosen it. The small cultivator gives you plenty of mulch so that when you use your gophers you can do a good job. I use Tower Surface Plows the last three times. I always run them deep enough, so that there will be loose dirt falling over the shovels at all times. If you don't do this you are bound to have weeds between the rows. The last plowing the corn ought to be about four feet high and I run my shovels just deep enough to get the dirt up to the corn, and I figure on getting it layed by about the 4th of July. HENEY DUTTENHAVER, R. F. D. No. 1, Kentland, Indiana. Wheatland, Indiana, April 14th, 1913. W. T. Ainsworth & Sons, Mason City, Illinois. Gentlemen: — I will give you my experience as a farmer on corn culture. Preparation of Seed Bed for Corn Soil: My soil is what is known as white oak ridge soil, a mixture between clay and loam, which will produce most any kind of grain and hay. It is somewhat rolling, which forms a natural drainage. I think the best time to plow stalk ground is in the spring, because freezing and thawing injure fall plowed soils in our locality. We always strive to build up our soil in every way possible for the production of a bountiful harvest. I have always had better success growing crops on spring plowed stalk ground than on fall plowed. I plow six or seven inches deep for corn, and would prefer twelve inches if I had the power to do the work. By plowing deep, you have a deep soil which is necessary for a good corp of corn. The old adage, "Plow deep while sluggards sleep and you will have corn to sell and to keep," is certainly true. 146 PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE Farmer friends, don't burn your cornstalks or your straw, both are very valuable. Take your disc harrow and cut your stalks and see how nicely they will plow under, by using a jointer on your plow. We always plow the cornstalks under, because they are of great benefit to the soil, by making it loo&e and porous, so the air can penetrate and restore the plant food properties. The implements used in preparing the seed bed depends largely on the weather conditions. If the ground has become packed, use a disc harrow, then, if dry and cloddy, a drag or roller should be used, followed by a section harrow. Sometimes two or three harrowings are necessary, and if weather conditions indicate dry weather, I run a light drag before the planter, if not I plant after the harrow. I never prefer working down early plowed ground, because it becomes more or less compact and requires more work to make a good seed bed. I plant my corn with a ''Black Hawk" corn planter (the drill type), using furrowing shovels or eveners to regulate the depth of the corn, and by using good seed corn I am almost sure of a good stand of corn. If it comes a heavy rain immediately after planting, I use a section harrow before the corn comes up; this breaks the crust, and thus prevents the tender corn from crooking and losing most of its vitality. After the corn has all come up in good shape, and the weather is dry, I start the roller, which pulverizes all remaining clods, then a section harrow is used, which leaves the ground in a very fine condition. If possible I like for my corn to be three or four inches high for the first cultivation, at which time I cultivate about four inches deep and as close as possible. This stirs the soil well around the corn-roots and starts it to growing. I use a six-shovel cultivator for all the cultiva- tions excepting the last, for which time I prefer the disc cultivator. I consider this implement the best for the last cultivation. I set the disc next to the corn very shallow and far enough apart to plow all of the middle. By cultivating about two inches deep, this method will make a nice, loose mulch of soil for the corn-roots to get their nourishment from. I cultivate as many times as the corn will permit the use of a cultivator, then if the weather is dry I use a one-horse harrow to keep up the action of the moisture. If the farmers of this country would be more careful in selecting their seed corn the yield would be much better. A. H. MYERS. CORN LETTERS FROM THIRTY FARMERS 147 Arthur, Illinois, April 15th, 1913. Mr. W. T. Ainsworth, Mason City, Illinois. Dear Sir: — The farm I am farming is gently rolling, and the soil is a brown silt loam. I have obtained the best results by plowing sods in the fall, but when corn follows corn I have found, from experience, that the biggest crops can be raised from spring plowing. I am firmly convinced that the burning of stalks is a bad practice, since it robs the land of nitrogen and humus. Before plowing, I double disc all the stalkfields, with a Janesville spading disc. I plow from six to seven inches deep, and the early plowed ground is allowed to stand until after heavy rains, before any further work is done to it. For the later plowed ground, I use a rotary harrow on the plow. This pulveri?es the soil and levels it up as it is plowed. Each day's plowing is again harrowed down in the evening, when it is allowed to stand until nearly planting time. After the corn is planted, it is rolled and harrowed and left until the plants are about four inches tall, when it is cultivated about four inches deep with a shovel plow. For the next two or three plowings I use a surface cultivator and get over my corn as many times as I possibly can. I lay my corn by when it is from three to four feet tall. In closing I want to say that I consider the sx^ading disc one of the best implements on the farm. LEWIS D. YUTZY. Mr. Yutzy is a stock raiser, as well as a farmer. Laurel, Iowa, April 10th, 1913. Messrs. W. T. Ainsworth & Sons, Mason City, Illinois. Gentlemen: — The nature of my soil is a black loam with clay sub- soil, nothing better for the growing of corn. I do not like fall plowing for stalk ground, since the winter and spring rains pack it so badly that it requires more work to get it in shape in the spring than it does when the plowing is allowed to go until spring. I believe that spring plowing of stalk ground will bring larger yields than will fall plowing. I break the stalks down, rake them up and burn them. I next run a good sharp disc diagonally across the field and harrow. This leaves the ground level, makes the plowing easier and leaves the field in much better shape than where the discing is not done before plowing. I harrow each evening what I plow during the day. When I get ready to plant I harrow the field once or twice, according to the shape 148 PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE the ground is in. I run the disc directly ahead of the planter. With an average season this method gives me a good seed bed. I plant three feet eight inches by three feet six inches, and drop three grains to the hill. The corn is planted deep enough to place it in moist ground. I harrow as soon as the corn is planted and again after it is about through the ground. I seldom harrow corn after it is all up, since a number of hills are broken off and otherwise injured. I use a surface cultivator altogether and use the drags or floats the first time over. I cultivate from four to five times, depending on the condition of the soil. I consider the surface cultivator the best. It holds the moisture better and if it is properly set it will move every inch of the surface soil. I plow my corn until it is so tall that I cannot get through the field without injuring it. Yours for success, C. C. PAUL. Mr. Paul is a grower of pure bred Chester White Hogs. Pimento, Indiana, April 11th, 1913. Mr. W. T. Ainsworth, Mason City, Illinois. Dear Sir: — Our land is a heavy, cold clay and very level. We always plow the stalks under in the spring, since it makes the ground looser, adds fertility and makes the crop more easily tended. The ground is broken six to seven inches deep. Our method of working the ground depends entirely on the season. On dry, cloddy ground we use a wood drag, on nice loose soil, a harrow, and on sod, a disc harrow. We get our ground level and smooth before planting, and plant from two to two and one-half inches deep. If the weather is dry, we harrow before the corn comes up. If it is wet we leave the field alone until we can plow the corn, which is done as soon as it is possible to plow and not cover the hills. We cultivate from two to three inches deep straight through the season. We use disc cultivators altogether, and consider them the best in our soil. We cultivate three to four times, and stay with it until the corn is too tall to plow with cultivators. E. F. D. No. 1. GEOEGE M. CUTINGEE. Girard, Pa., April 28th, 1913. W. T. Ainsworth & Sons, Mason City, Illinois. Gentlemen: — In answer to yours of recent date, as to culture of corn will say that for corn I prefer a one-year-old clover sod which has been manured the previous winter and plowed as early as possible after oats CORN LETTERS FROM THIRTY FARMERS 149 seeding. The ground should be plowed to a depth of about six inches, rolling down every evening what has been plowed that day and follow- ing up with a spring-tooth harrow or disc pulverizer. The field should be gone over with these implements until a perfect seed bed is obtained. I use a light roller immediately before planting and follow with a two-horse planter with an open wheel planting about twelve inches for silo and sixteen inches for husking. The third day after planting I use a smoothing harrow with teeth set slanting and go over the field again about the sixth or seventh day after the corn has the second leaf. Next I use a fiat-tooth round point weeder, going over the field about twice or until the corn is large enough to use a two -horse cultivator with shields to keep dirt from rolling on the corn. I follow the first plowing with the weeder, running cross- ways, after which I cultivate about three times more during season with the shields removed from the cultivator. The first cultivation may be about three inches deep, after that from one and a half to two inches is deep enough. I also use from two to three hundred pounds of fertilizer analyzing about 1 — 8 — 4. We harvest with a corn binder previous to silo filling, leaving it lay as the machine drops it for two days. If it is husked it is set up in shocks a second or third day after it is cut. In our latitude we like to plant between the twentieth of May and the first of June, if corn is put into the silo. Yours truly, JOHN A. BAUSCH. Mr. Bausch makes a speciality of selling butter, eggs and pork direct to the consumer. Greenfork, Indiana, April 15th, 1913. W. T. Ainsworth & Sons, Mason City, Illinois. Dear Sirs: — In this community most of the land is a white and red clay, except where the ravines course along, but there is a good deal of black ground, too. The land lays practically level, although nearer the river it is a little rolling. I do not plow my stalk ground at all in the fall and do not want much for spring plowing if it can be helped. With the exception of new land we follow mostly a rotation of corn, wheat and clover. I like to plow my ground five to six inches deep. If I had the machinery I would always cut the cornstalks and plow them under, because I believe it would loosen and enrich the land; as it is I find it necessary 150 PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE to burn them. I use the spring-tooth harrow on sod ground for the first harrowing, then follow with spike-tooth harrow until I get the ground in condition to plant corn. The corn is planted two to three inches deep. I like the idea of harrowing the corn before it comes up, but I could never get accustomed to harrowing after it has once come up. The harrow teeth drag out too many hills of corn. I don't think it practical to plow very deep for the first cultiva- tion. By the way, I do not think much of deep cultivation at any time. I like the shovel cultivator the best of any I have ever tried. I always plow my corn at least three times and a fourth cultiva- tion is very good if one has the time. Most of the corn in this com- munity is fed to hogs with the result that the land is getting more fertile each year. I shall be very glad to get your book on corn culture. Yours truly, HEEBERT H. HOWARD. Oblong, Illinois, April 15th, 1913. W. T. Ainsworth & Sons, Mason City, Illinois. Gentlemen: — As I have received a request to give my experience in growing corn, I will endeavor to answer as best I can. Soil: The soil I am farming at the present time is of the heavy kind, such as is most of the land in this section that was timbered with water oak hickory and white oak. I am located in St. Marie Township, Jasper County, east of St. Marie, near the east line. This land is level and not the best for wet seasons. I do all my plowing in the spring, since fall plowing will pack too much and the weeds would start before time to plant. Spring plowing is always best for my kind of soil, since it should be dry and not have too much rain after plowing. I plow my ground about four to six inches deep and aim to leave some of the top soil undisturbed. Following corn I always use a stalk cutter and cut the stalks so that they do not interfere with cultivation. Plowing stalks under helps keep the ground loose below and gives it air. To work ground down I use whatever is required to get it in shape and do good work. On ground that is rough and uneven I use a drag to level, followed always with a harrow, since otherwise it will get weedy before the corn is big CORN LETTERS FROM THIRTY FARMERS 151 enough to cultivate. I always work ground just before planting, so that it will be clean and let the corn get ahead of the weeds. I gen- erally plant corn twenty inches apart in the row, and the rows are forty-two inches apart. I drill corn because we plow in lands that con- tain from eight to ten rows. I harrow corn before it comes up: in case the planting was done in rough and cloddy ground, I harrow corn after it is up, unless it is big enough to cultivate before I can use the harrow. I want corn to be about three or three and one-half inches high before I cultivate the first time, as I want to plow close and deep and cover all little weeds and put just a little dirt around the corn I plow about three inches deep and set fenders as high as possible, to allow some of the dirt to drop around the corn plants. When laying corn by I plow deep enough to turn over and clean the row, but I stay away from the corn and take the middle all out. I use shovel and disc plows. I always use shovels for first plowing. The disc leaves too much ground undisturbed and the weeds grow more quickly in the row than where plowed with shovels. I consider shovels and discs best for this soil, since surface cultivation leaves the ground too hard after a heavy rain. I try to cultivate my corn three or four times and do if I am not delayed by rain or other work. In laying corn by I have no set height or time, but plow when the ground is in good mellow condition. I often plow my corn the last time when it is three and four feet high. If I am delayed by some cause or other I have laid corn by, with good results, when it was tasseling out. CHAS. J. KERNEE. St. Croix, Indiana, April 28th, 1913. Messrs. W. T. Ainsworth & Sons, Mason City, Illinois. Gentlemen: — My farm is located in Southern Indiana in the north- eastern part of Perry County. Our land is a light clay loam soil and inclined to be rolling while some is level; too level. I never follow corn with corn, nor can anyone here and make farming pay. I bought my farm about twenty-five years ago. At the time I bought it, it was considered a run-down farm and would not grow ten bushels of corn per acre. Today I have no trouble in growing fifty to sixty bushels per acre. I have brought this farm to its present state of fertility by a rotation consisting of corn one year followed by wheat, oats or cowpeas, then with clover and pasture. In this locality we plow early in the spring if the weather will 152 PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE permit, which is very seldom. It is not advisable to plow our hilly ground in the fall, since it would wash too badly during the winter and early spring. I think corn land should be plowed from six to nine inches deep, since it holds the moisture better than shallow plowed land. I usually cut the corn up and feed the fodder, but if I have any stalks left I cut them up and turn them under. My corn ground is usually a sod clover or pasture land. After breaking I drag, then disc, drag again and harrow. The early plowed fields are not usually worked down until nearly planting time, but the, late plowed fields should be worked down as soon as they are plowed to keep the ground from becoming cloddy and to retain the moisture. I like to plant corn between the first and tenth of May, but of late years spring rains have delayed planting until later. I plant with a two -row corn planter, using commercial fertilizer at the rate of one hundred pounds to the acre. Cultivation should begin as soon as possible after the corn is up, and I like to harrow before the corn is up, but if it rains after it is planted it is generally up before the ground is dry enough to justify getting on with the harrow. As soon as the corn is up I go over it with the harrow once and sometimes twice. When the corn is about three inches high I commence cultivat- ing with a two-horse cultivator. I plow deep the first and second times over; setting the cultivator so that it will not throw much dirt to the corn. The later cultivations are shallow. I always follow the cultivator with a one-horse harrow which runs between the rows, here we use the shovels since the disc leaves too uneven a surface. I always try to leave the surface level after each cultivation. I cultivate from four to six times, or as often as the weather will permit. T. B. LYONS. Buckley, Illinois, April 9th, 1913. W. T. Ainsworth & Sons, Mason City, Illinois. Gentlemen: — In answer to your letter of the 8th inst., I will give you my method of preparing ground for corn. For several years past I have been sowing from forty to eighty acres with clover in oats. I let the clover stand until the second year to enable it to make the necessary root growth from which a large part of the benefit to the soil is obtained. If there is not much seed in the second crop of clover, I plow it under to enrich the land. I prefer fall plowing of clover sod in preference to waiting until after oats sowing is over. In the spring I go over the fall plowed ground with a disc, cutting full depth. CORN LETTERS FROM THIRTY FARMERS 153 This loosens and mellows the soil besides letting in warmth. It will also start the first crop of weeds to growing. About the tenth of May I go over the ground again with the disc and kill all these sprouted weeds. I now give the field one or two good harrowings and plant. The corn is always harrowed again before it is up. In pre- paring stalk ground I prefer to plow it in the fall, but one seldom gets this chance. By all means leave the stalks to be plowed under. Why? Because anything that will decay in the soil makes humus and humus is what we need to keep our soil loose and mellow. My method of getting rid of the stalks is to go over the ground both ways with a disc. This cuts the stalks up and also makes a mulch of loose soil to have on the underside of your furrow slice. Disc your soil again after the plow before the clods have time to dry and you will have no clods, since the furrow slice has been completely pulverized. For spring plowing I think four inches is deep enough, but for fall plowing seven or eight inches is better. Our soil is level, black loam and comparatively heavy. My aim is to have a carload of cattle to sell every year and thus with their help I improve instead of impoverishing the soil. Yours truly, CHAELES HOLZ. Eushville, Illinois, April 10th, 1913. W. T. Ainsworth & Sons, Mason City, Illinois. Gentlemen:— Eeplying to your request for our methods of corn growing, I must suggest that what I can say will be of little interest and small value. I devote my best thought to apple growing. Where corn follows corn, we cut the stalks up fine with a sharp disc and thoroughly harrow down the land, then plow about six to eight inches deep. We then harrow the land, furrow off three and one-half feet wide with large shovel plows, and drill eighteen to twenty inches apart in row. Our lands are both black, loam bottom and loose formation upland. I never plant two successive crops of corn on upland, and very rarely on bottom-land. I use similar methods in preparing the ground on all these soils. , We never plow stalk 'land in fall as the crop is not removed m time. I believe stalks should never be burned as they do not interfere with cultivation, when properly cut up, and on upland they help to prevent the land from washing and also return some fertility to the 154 PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE soil. If the corn is infested with insects or with fungous disease, I burn the stalks. We harrow down after plowing and if the land becomes hard we disc and harrow before planting. This method eliminates clods. If we use barnyard manure we spread late in the winter or early in the spring and plow it under. I strongly advise the rotation of crops as the best method of re- turning the fertility and destroying insects and diseases. Cultivation: I generally harrow when the corn is up three or four days if the ground is in proper condition. I believe corn should be cultivated as small as possible and frequently. The first cultivation generally is shallow to avoid throwing much dirt on the small corn. For biggest yields, corn should be plowed every five to eight days. I run inside shovels shallow when laying by, but turn outside ones in, thereby throwing dirt strongly to corn. Either class of cultivation is equally good if properly used. Have had better results laying corn by with ten-inch diamond plow, but it leaves the land rough. I disc clover land before plowing and believe all lands should be disced before plowing. We have obtained good results when we cut corn by sowing thickly in wheat or rye and pasture during the winter with horses, cows and pigs, then in the spring disc and plow. Have grown fine crops on small lots treated thus. I sometimes turn hogs in a field in August and believe fertility can be longer maintained by this method than by any other. B. F. STUART. The growing of apples is Mr. Stuart's specialty. Eddyville, Iowa, April 10th, 1913. W. T. Ainsworth & Sons, Mason City, Illinois. Gentlemen: — In answer to your letter of recent date I will give you my methods of growing corn. These methods, I believe, are the best for southern Iowa. Our soil is a light, black loam, underlaid with a porous yellow clay subsoil. Being a warm, well drained soil, it is adapted to the growing of varieties as late in maturing as one hundred and ten days. We prefer plowing stalk ground in the spring, in order to get the benefit of the stalk pasture, although we consider fall plowing is better, since the ground works up better, which, of course, means better yields. In the spring we get in the fields as soon as it is fit. The ground is disced before plowing. This forms a dust mulch, and CORN LETTERS FROM THIRTY FARMERS 155 when the furrow slice is turned over, capillarity, which was destroyed when the furrow was turned, is quickly re-established, since the dirt on the sub-surface is pulverized and not cloddy. As soon as the ground is plowed it is harrowed. This forms a dust mulch, and prevents the moisture in the ground from escaping. We harrow the plowed ground after each rain, as soon as it will do to get in the fields. By doing this the moisture is conserved, and no crust is allowed to form up to planting time. Our spring plowing is from six to eight inches deep. We plow ten inches deep in the fall, and aim to turn all our new ground at this season of the year. Freezing and thawing during the winter months, followed by early spring discing, puts this deep plowing in ideal shape. We are cranks on conserving moisture and our efforts along these lines bring us big returns in the fall when we husk our corn. Gentle- men, the farmer can not take too much time in the preparation of the seed bed for corn. Of all the grain crops grown, corn is the one that responds the quickest to thorough preparation before putting the seed in the ground. We believe that a forty-acre field, properly prepared, will grow as many bushels as eight acres plowed only three or four inches deep, and left to dry out until planting time. Practice thorough cultivation and plant pure bred seed corn, and you will be well paid for your time and money spent. As soon as the seed bed is as good as we can make it, we start planting. We check three feet six inches each way, and plant from one to one and one-half inches deep. The field is harrowed as soon as planted in order to kill the small weeds and sprouted weed seeds. We do not feel justified in harrowing after the corn is up, since the harrow teeth break off and cover too many hills. Since we only plant two kernels to the hill, it is necessary that they should all grow. We start cultivating rather deep when the corn is from four to six inches high, and make every effort to kill all the weeds at this plow- ing. The second cultivation is not so deep, since by this time the corn-root system has extended in all directions. When we 'May the corn by" we throw up a small ridge, but are very careful not to cut many roots. During the first three cultiva- tions we use four-shovel plows. For a fourth cultivation we use an old mower wheel and run it between the rows. This conserves the moisture, and helps in getting a larger yield. We think the shovel cultivators are the best all-around cultivators you can get. At the same time surface cultivators are coming into 156 PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE use more each year, and on level ground they do fine work, but I believe I can do as good a job with a four or six-shovel cultivator. In my opinion the shovel plow stirs the ground better than the surface cultivator. We lay our corn by when it is about waist high. Every Corn Belt farmer should practice thorough preparation of the seed bed, should give his corn careful and frequent cultivatings, and above all else, plant strong, vigorous, pure bred seed. Yours very truly, HENRY J. LANGSTRAAT & SONS. Growers of Eeid's Yellow Dent and Johnson County White corn, and Swedish Select and Silvermine oats. Delaplaine, Ark., April 12th, 1913. Mr. W. T. Ainsworth, Mason City, Illinois. Dear Sir: — The nature of our soil is a deep sandy loam and is very level. I always plow my stalk ground in the spring, although fall plowing might be better. The plowing is done from six to eight inches in depth and the stalks are cut and turned under. I work my ground down as soon as it is plowed and harrow at frequent intervals until time to plant. The common method of planting in this country is with a single-row drill, but of late years I have planted by hand and checked the rows. I harrow the corn after it is about three inches high and cultivate four or five times. It is laid by when six or seven feet tall. Our corn makes from forty to eighty bushels per acre, depending on the season and the care the crop has received. I shall be very glad to receive your corn book. Yours truly, G. W. CLAYTON. Hughesville, Mo., April 11th, 1913. Messrs. W. T. Ainsworth & Sons, Mason City, Illinois. Dear Sirs: — I am writing you to answer your questions in regard to my method of preparing the seed bed and cultivating the corn crop. Although I have a black, heavy rolling soil, I would rather have the stalks plowed under in the fall or winter, if it is possible to get the plow in the field. If the plowing is done in the spring, it should CORN LETTERS FROM THIRTY FARMERS 157 be as deep as six or eight inches and started as soon as the frost is out of the ground, provided the ground is dry enough. I consider it a bad mistake to burn stalks. They should be cut with a disc harrow and plowed under to root and help hold the moisture. If the ground is well disced before plowing in the early spring it should not be harrowed or worked down before time to plant. Planting and Cultivation If the ground has been plowed in the fall or early spring and has settled or run together into a hard compact mass, it should be double disced. By this I mean the disc should be lapped half each time. This method does away with the furrow or ridge and leaves the ground level. I finish up by using a smoothing harrow. I precede the planter with the furrowing machine. This machine consists of two fourteen-inch single shovel plows, set the same distance apart as the width of my two-row planter runners. The planter follows and runs in the middle and bottom of the furrows. By using this machine my corn is planted in furrows. I run the disc, smoothing harrow, and furrowing machine all the same way, so that one implement does not have to finish its work before the other is started. The planter should not start until the furrow has dried enough so that the fresh dirt in the bottom of the furrow will not stick to the runners or planter wheels, but will have a dust mulch over the corn rows. I use good seed and get a good stand, unless the fields are flooded with heavy rains before the corn gets well sprouted. As soon as the corn is up enough to insure a good stand, I start a light smoothing harrow, and if the weather is favorable I harrow two or three times before starting to cultivate. If the season is wet I do not use the harrow, but start cultivating as soon as the corn is up well enough to see each hill down the row. I start with a six-shovel cul- tivator and plow as deep as the shovels will reach, which is about four inches. I plow my corn as many times as I can before it gets big enough to bend under the cultivator arch. The last plowing should not cut many roots; at the same time it should be deep enough to make the shovels throw the dirt well up around the butts of the stalks. S. E. HAEVEY. 158 PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE Jacob, Illinois, July 30th, 1913. W. T. Ainsworth & Sons, Mason City, Illinois, Dear Sirs: — The soil on our farm is level and light. I plow the stalk ground in the fall. I think that is the best time for the land and gives the biggest crop. The stalks are cut and turned under when corn follows corn. I believe it is better for the land and adds nitrogen to the soil. In working the ground down after plowing, I use the drag and harrow. The early plowed fields are harrowed down when first plowed. In planting the corn I check in hills with two or three grains to a hill, and harrow before it comes up; also harrow after it come up. When the corn is about four inches tall, I bar it and after a few days go over it again, throwing the dirt back. I cultivate about four inches the first time over and plow shallow enough to get the dirt when I lay by. My cultivators are discs. These I consider the best. I cul- tivate about four times. The corn is about sixty inches high when it is layed by. Eespeetfully yours, JOHN W. CUPP. Green Valley, Illinois, April 20th, 1913. W. T. Ainsworth & Sons, Mason City, Illinois. Dear Sirs: — I am writing this letter to answer your questions in regard to preparing the seed bed for corn. I have sandy loam, clay and heavy black loam. These three kinds of soils all require different handling. Since the stalks contain a large amount of humus and some nitrogen, I cut them and turn them under on all the light soil. On the heavy soil I burn them, since they grow so rank that they would liother during the later cultivating. This heavy soil does not need the humus in the stalks so badly, although they would undoubtedly help the ground. A good plan is to cut the stalks and break the ground deep in the fall, but since I am a stock farmer and need the stalk fields, I do most of my plowing in the spring. I plow from five to seven inches deep, depending on the nature of the soil. In working the seed bed I depend mostly on the harrow, although I find, at times, it is an advantage to use the disc harrow and the Bailey and Nichols clod crusher. This is different from others, as it acts as a harrow and packs and breaks up the clods. CORN LETTERS FROM THIRTY FARMERS 159 Unless the season is very wet, I harrow down the early plowed fields, and do not allow them to stand until time to plant the corn. Corn Cultivation I use a check-rower planter and plant three feet four inches each way, and two grains in a hill. I do not harrow corn before it comes up, unless I think it will get weedy. I harrow the corn after it is up and a good size. I let the corn get a good height before plowing the first time. This enables me to plow close to it, and the first plowing is what counts. I plow rather deep the first time over, but when I lay it by I plow as shallow as I can and kill the weeds. I use six-shovel riding cultivators, and twelve shovels on the two -row cultivators. I prefer the two-row cultivators, if I have large fields with no point rows. My sons all use two-row cultivators, and do as good a job with them as they could with the single row. Those who have never used a two-row cultivator will perhaps doubt the statement until they have tried them for themselves. I cultivate as many times as I can; three or more. I lay my corn by as tall as I can without breaking it down. Hoping I have answered your questions, I remain Eespectfully yours, W. L. WOODEOW. Mr. Woodrow is a breeder of full-blooded Percheron horses. Bolivar, Missouri, April 24th, 1913. Messrs. W. T. Ainsworth «fc Sons, Mason City, Illinois. Dear Sirs: — Our soil is not the most fertile soil in the world, but at the same time good management and a careful rotation of crops will bring good yields. I usually grow corn on ground that was in wheat the year previous. I plow the wheat stubble deep, (six to ten inches), in the fall and winter when the weather is cool. I then leave the ground until plant- ing time. In preparing my ground for planting I double disc with a sharp disc and harrow the ground at least twice with a spike-tooth harrow. I never drag my fields, since a big rain will cause the weeds to grow too quickly. I use a John Deere planter, and drop alternately two and three grains to the hill. I apply one hundred and twenty- five pounds of bone and potash fertilizer with a fertilizer attachment on the planter. 160 PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE The corn is harrowed once or twice before it comes np. I plow my corn at least four times with four and six-shovel plows. The last cultivating is given the corn when it begins to tassel. About silking time I plow between the rows with a five shovel, one-horse cultivator. When it is neeess:ary to plow in the spring, where corn follows corn, I prefer to plow as early as possible, since early plowing is not affected so much by a dry spell in July and August. I never, under any cir- cumstances, burn any stalks. This is a ruinous practice with us, and 1 believe will do more harm than good in any country. Yours truly, JOHN L. NOVAK. Mr. Novak is a breeder of Poland China Hogs. Senath, Missouri, April 25th, 1913. Mr. W. T. Ainsworth, Mason City, Illinois. Dear Sir:^ — In reply to your letter of the 8th, I will say that I just haven't had time to spare to write you in regard to my method of preparing the seed bed and growing corn. To begin with, the soil here is a light level soil. We plow our stalk ground mostly in the spring, as we sow peas in the cornfield at laying by time. I think it best for the land and also for the following crop to plow in the fall, but because of the fact that I depend on stalk fields for pasture until winter or early spring, it is impossible for me to plow in the fall. I plow my land from seven to eight inches deep and I think that is deep enough for this land. I cut my stalks and plow them under because that and the eowpeas are all that we have to keep our land up. The first thing I do in the spring is to cut the stalks and disc the rows down; then I turn and cross disc again before ploAving, If I plant at once I run a three-horse section harrow and [)lant, but if the ground is not planted at once I don't harrow, since the winds will bloAV it so bad. If the ground is allowed to lay for some time before planting, I double disc to kill the weeds and harrow with a drag harrow before planting. I plant with a tAvo-row drill, three and one-half feet apart, and set to drill the two rows from twenty to thirty inches apart, owing to the richness of the soil. I used to plant thick, and later thin out every other stalk, but I have quit this because I can't do all the work myself, and if one plants too thick he generally does not thin enough. Of late years T have planted for a stand, and I usually get plenty of corn, in fact, if you get your land in good condition for the seed, there's no likelihood of CORN LETTERS FROM THIRTY FARMERS 161 getting a bad stand. I think the majority of us, in southeast Missouri, get in too big a rush and don't get the land in proper shape for planting and plant before the ground gets warm. I think, as a rule, the last of April and first of May is early enough to plant corn. If I can possibly get the time I run the harrow over the land before the corn comes up, and as eoon as it gets high enough so that I can plow with the cultivator and fenders on, I begin plowing the first time. The first time over I plow about five inches deep and try to get shallower everv time till I lay it by. The last cultivation is with a disc run verv shallow. I do most of my cultivating with small shovels and I really think they are best. I begin, as I said before, as soon as the corn will permit and cultivate every week until it is too tall to plow. I average plowing from six to eight times with the cultivator and generally lav bv when the corn is four to five feet high. I don't use any special implement, since I don't go over the corn after laying it by, because I sow peas and soy beans in the cornfield. These nitrogen crops pay in more ways than one. First, the land gets the benefit of the roots, and second, it helps to keep up moisture. It also keeps the weeds down and the pasture is worth just about as much as the corn crop. Now some would think that we ought to sow more of our land down, but the most of this land is too sandy to grow clover or similar legumes. For this season we cannot practice a rotation of crops like is done further north. I remain Yours truly, E. B. WALLACE. Mr. Wallace makes a specialty of the growing of pure bred O. I. C. swine. Hartville, Missouri, May 2nd, 1913. W. T. Ainsworth & Sons, Mason City, Illinois. Dear Sirs:— In regard to corn growing I will write you to the best of my knowledge. In preparing mv seed bed for corn I turn with a breaking plow, then drag and follow with a disc harrow, then drag again. Before starting to plant I plow out furrows, three feet eight inches apart, with a cui- NOTF- The writers of this book have three hundred and sixty acres of land "in -noTttast .Arkansas. Our ^-ms are abou^^ t^tteen m.es from M. of corn We furnish sOy bean seed to our tenants on these taims to encou d„« them in the growing of this legume. 162 PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE tivator. In these furrows I plant the corn. I sometimes cultivate the corn before it comes up with disc cultivator by throwing the dirt from the corn, then let it come up and get three or four blades on it, then follow with a shovel cultivator. I cultivate two or three times, then for the last plowing I use disc cultivators, set to throw the dirt to tlie corn. After this last plowing I leave the field until time to harvest the crop. Our soil is heavy and level. I plow the stalk ground in the spring. The ground should be plowed five to seven inches deep, owing to the (■oil, and the stalks should be turned under because it adds humus to the ground. I use drags and disc harrows to work the ground down after plowing. I let the early plowed fields stand until I am ready to plant before harrowing down. Sometim.es I harrow before the corn comes up. In dry weather I harrow and roll after the corn comes up and the first time it is cultivated I plow from four to six inches deep. When I lay by I plow from two to three inches deep. Yours respectfully, MARK MITCHELL. Xenia, Ohio, April 14th, 1913. Messrs. W. T. Ainsworth & Sons, Mason City, Illinois. Gentlemen: — Our ground is a rather heavy clay soil, with spots of black ground scattered around over every field on the farm. It is level, and not being underlaid with sand or gravel, most of it needs tile. We have considerable tile laid, but there are several places where more would be of benefit. While we have never tried plowing for corn in the fall, I believe a heavy sod that is not rolling enough to wash, would do better than if plowed in the spring. One of our neighbors tried this, and was very successful. Where the ground is exposed in this way thro'ughout the winter, some of the fertility may escape, but I do not believe there would be enough to offset the advantage to be gained by the conserva- tion of moisture, especially if the season Avas dry. Then, too, the sod has a chance to rot and is ready for the corn as soon as it begins to grow. We try to get our sod plowed as early in the spring as pos- sible, and I think we shall experiment some with fall plowing, since that is the only way to find out anything. We prefer to have the ground plowed seven or eight inches deep and not worked when it is too wet. We do not aim to follow corn with corn, but when it can't be very well helped, we burn the stalks CORN LETTERS FROM THIRTY FARMERS 163 as we have no cutter. The stalk ground is always plowed last, for the reason that it does not get tough like sod, and usually does not get dry so early in the season. We use a common spike-tooth harrow and drag made of four-by-four 's set on edge. These are started just as soon as the ground has been plowed. If it is pretty well beaten down by rain, a spring-tooth harrow is about the best thing to loosen it with; then follow with the spike- tooth to level the ground. I never put any work on early plowed ground until I am ready to plant, and then I keep the planter as close behind the harrow as possible. We find that a good clover sod with hogs fed on it, and manure scattered over it will come as near raising one hundred bushels of corn to the acre in any kind of weather as anything we have ever tried. W. H. MOEGAN. Stanberry, Missouri, May 2nd, 1913. W. T. Ainsworth & Sons, Mason City, Illinois. Dear Sirs: — The soil in the northwest part of Gentry County is a light, black loam and is somewhat rolling. In regard to the time of year to plow I will say that I prefer fall plowing when it can be done. In the first place it is done at a slack time of the year and can be put in good shape for planting in the spring with very little work. Again, it holds the moisture better than spring plowed ground. If I plow in the spring I like to double disc the ground. This will answer for a stalk cutter and at the same time pulverize the soil on top which makes it much easier to plow and makes a good loose bed for the corn. I use a disc frequently and consider it one of the most useful pieces of machinery on the farm as it can be used for so many different purposes. A great many people rake up the corn stalks and burn them. I do not think this should ever be done. Corn stalks should always be plowed under and all other manure that can be obtained. The stalks when plowed under will help to keep the ground loose. After giving the ground a good double discing with a good sharp disc I go to it with a gang plow. A harrow should always follow the plow. The ground should not lay long, especially if very dry, as it will not pulverize readily when allowed to get too dry after plow- ing. The harrow also levels the ground making a loose bed on top to hold the moisture. When ground is plowed early it should be har- 164 PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE rowed and disced just before planting, in that way will kill all weeds that have started and this gives the corn an even start with the weeds. I use a check-rower planter fitted with furrow openers. These throw out a furrow in which the corn is planted. The use of the furrow openers insures an even depth of planting, kills all weed sprouts in the row and makes it possible to harrow the corn twice after it is up without doing it any injury. As soon as the corn is tall enough to plow I start plowing and try to plow after every rain if possible to prevent the loss of moisture. I use six and eight-shovel cultivators in preference to the four shovels. I generally plow my corn about four times. I believe that a one- horse harrow plow run between the rows after it is too large to straddle would increase the yield from three to ten bushels. A^ery truly yours, s. w. Mcpherson. Minier, Illinois, April 12th, 1913. Mr; W. T. Ainsworth, Mason City, Illinois. Dear Sir: — A few lines in regard to the preparation of the seed bed for corn. Our soil is black and heavy, practically level, although rolling enough for good drainage. Our stalk ground is practically all plowed in the spring, once in a while we plow some in the fall, if circum- stances allow it. We would prefer fall plowing, and think it by far the best, on an average, for either land or yield. We prefer deep plowing, especially in the fall; seven or eight inches on old ground, once in a while, is not too deep. Five inches in sod is deep enough. We have discarded altogether the raking and burning of stalks. We always double disc them with a good sharp disc. After plowing we aim to make a dust mulch as much as possible by discing, spading and harrowing, also a roller or crusher is very good. In order to get this mulch we begin harrowing right after the plow, which we find gives the best results. After we have a good seed bed, the planter follows and is checked three by six inches, or three by four inches, except what we put up for ensilage, which is drilled thick, so as to make good ensilage, as the lighter the stalk the better ensilage. After the corn is planted three or four days, or later, it is har- rowed. Corn may be harrowed after it is up, provided the ground is CORN LETTERS FROM THIRTY FARMERS 165 in good shape, which will leave the field in nice clean shape when the cultivator is started. The cultivator is started when the corn is three or four inches tall, and plowed four inches deep, on an average, for the first time. The last time over we spread the gangs, and do not plow so deep for fear of pulling up thousands of little roots, which would injure the corn. We have never used discs or surface cultivators. Six-shovel plows are all we use; however, we think the surface plows and discs are good. My corn is plowed three times at least, and five times would be better. The corn is layed by when about two and one-half to four feet tall. Yours truly, C. C. S. Prop, of Fair View Farm, Minier, Illinois. Piper City, Illinois, April 11, 1913. W. T. Ainsworth & Sons, Mason City, Illinois. Gentlemen: — In answer to your letter I will say that my soil is a dark sandy loam and very level. My rotation is corn, oats and clover. I try to have an equal amount in corn and oats. I plow my ground in the fall about seven inches deep and let it stand until spring. Before planting I usually disc twice and drag. I plant deep then drag again. I also run the drag over the field before the corn comes up. If I brake stalk ground I disc before and after plowing. The first cultivation I give the corn is with a six-shovel plow. This cultivation is about four inches deep. I lay the corn by with a surface cultivator and plow deep enough to have considerable loose dirt run over the blades. Hoping this will be satisfactory, I remain, Yours truly, JAMES T. SULLIVAN. Delavan, Illinois, April 15th, 1913. Messrs. W. T. Ainsworth & Sons, Mason City, Illinois. Gentlemen: — Our land lies in Logan and Tazewell counties, Illinois, and ranges from a heavy black loam to a rather light sandy loam. On all the farms I insist, wherever possible, that the corn stalks shall be cut and plowed under, not for immediate results, but for what I am sure will be permanent benefits. 166 PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE The corn cultivation is usually begun as soon as the corn rows can be followed: I prefer quite deep cultivation the first time over, growing shallower and further from the row as the corn roots spread. We use nearly altogether the shovel cultivators, but I am quite certain the surface cultivators for the third and (if any) succeeding cultiva- tions, would be better than shovels. Owing to the pressure of other work we rarely cultivate more than three times, as the corn gets too big for later plowings. I am firmly convinced that we could increase the yield five to ten bushels per acre by breaking the crust between rows after the com is too big to cultivate otherwise. Yours truly, W. . y