Rural Heritage April/May 2026

late planting. In the central and southern states early maturing varieties are sometimes planted much later than the above dates on overflow lands or as a catch crop following the removal of some early crop. How much seed to plant. Field corn is usually planted at the rate of 4 to 6 quarts to an acre. In the Corn Belt, a bushel is considered enough for 6 or 8 acres depending upon the size of the kernels. For silage from 6 to 8 quarts are used per acre. These figures naturally vary with the distances between hills and rows, and these in turn depend upon the region, the season and the soil. In the South, corn is planted in rows 4 or 5 feet apart with about two kernels in a hill; in the central states the rows are usually 3 feet 8 inches apart with two or three kernels to a hill; while in the North the rows are usually 3 feet 6 inches apart and three or four kernels are planted

in a hill. This difference is due chiefly to the larger size attained by the plants in the South. On poor soils and in dry seasons, thin planting gives more and better grain than thick planting. Stover yields usually increase directly with the rate of planting. The effect of rate of planting upon yield of grain and stover is illustrated by the table above, giving averages for the years 1904-6-7 and 8. If a stand is too thin, the individual plants often show an increased development of tillers, a larger ear, and a reduction of the percent of barren stalks. On the other hand, if the stand is thicker than normal the ears are smaller and the percents of nubbins and barren stalks are increased. How deep to plant. Corn should be planted only deep enough to ensure prompt germination. On Eastern clay soils, 1 inch deep is sually sufficient; in the West on drier soils and especially in dry seasons, deeper planting is necessary. However, corn is seldom planted more than 1½ to 2 inches deep. CULTIVATION The chief reasons for cultivating corn are (1) to destroy weeds; (2) to conserve moisture; (3) to distribute air through the soil; (4) to increase bacterial action in supplying nitrogen, and (5) to aid in making mineral plant food available. The first of these is by far the most important. If the seedbed has been well prepared, only such cultivation as will kill the weeds is generally needed after the seed is planted. In dry regions, or in dry seasons while the plants are small, and wherever conditions more nearly approach that of a fallow field, early cultivation forming a mulch may prevent the loss of considerable moisture by evaporation. It is not likely that much moisture is saved by this means after the corn is 3 or 4 feet high.

Early cultivations may and often should be deep (A), but later ones must be shallow (C) or the roots will be injured (B).

Rural Heritage

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