Rural Heritage April/May 2026

to 95 percent of the kernels germinate, an individual ear test should be made. Here is one of several convenient methods for making such an ear test: Fill a shallow box 2½ inches deep and 20 inches square with sand. Divide the surface into 2-inch squares by running strings across both ways. Number the rows of squares along one side 1, 2, 3, 4, up to 10, and along the other, A, B, C, D, up to J. Select 100 ears for test, and number each to correspond with a square in the germination box. Place 10 kernels taken from various parts of each ear in the square corresponding to its number. Cover with sand, moisten thoroughly, cover with a cloth or sack and set away in a warm place for four or five days, sprinkling frequently to keep the sand from drying out. Save for seed only those ears from which all 10 kernels have produced strong, healthy sprouts. PREPARING THE LAND FOR PLANTING When to plow. The best preparation of land for corn depends largely upon the previous crop and the way in which the land has been handled in recent years. It is usually best to plow sod land in the fall to increase the decay of the organic matter and destroy insects such as wire worms and cut worms that might attack the corn in the spring. Level stubble land may also be plowed in the fall to good advantage, but very rolling land usually washes more when fall plowed than if left until spring. A good way to distribute labor is to plow at least part of the land in the fall and have this much work out of the way of the spring rush. Spring plowing should be done as early as possible to conserve moisture, set free plant food and afford sufficient time to prepare a good seedbed. How deep to plow. In general, corn land should be plowed fairly deep—7 or 8 inches, although the proper depth will depend largely upon the character of the soil. Heavy clay soils and those badly worn by long continued cropping usually require deeper plowing than sandy soils or those in better condition. Plowing is the most expensive tillage operation in corn production; also it is the most important. Unless the soil is well pulverized and all trash or manure is completely covered, unprepared spots are left in the field rendering the highest yields impossible. If manure or other organic matter is to be turned under a thorough disking before plowing works it into the soil and saves labor in later operations. The

Stringing ears for curing. Insert shows how to start.

to be low but ears may be selected which were borne on weak stalks or on plants that grew on a specially rich spot or where the stand was thin. The best seed is that produced by good plants, grown under normal conditions, as respects soil and stand, and which matures well; these facts can be determined only in the field. Germination test. Even if care in drying and storing is taken, it is always a wise precaution to make a germination test of seed corn before planting. A simple and partial test may be made by removing five or six kernels from each of 50 or 60 ears taken at random from the entire lot of seed and starting them in a shallow box of sand or other germinator. If this preliminary test shows the corn to be of strong vitality, it can safely be planted; but if less than 90

Rural Heritage

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