PREPARATION FOR CORN GROWING 59 
the fertility of corn soils. It should not only be rich, but should 
be well supplied with organic matter and should be well drained. 
Select a field for corn where water does not stand more than 
a day or so at a time, even during the most rainy periods of 
the growing season. If pos- 
sible select rich, black loam. 
Light, sandy soils are not 
well suited to corn growing. 
If it 1s necessary to use 
sandy soils, they should, if 
possible, be underlaid by 
clay subsoils. 
Preparation for Corn 
Growing.—A field where 
corn 1s to be grown the 
following year should be 
partially prepared the pre- 
ceding fall. In the northern 
states fall plowing should be 
practised. The furrow slices 
may be left exposed to the 
winter weather and much 
benefit will result from 
freezing and thawing of the 
exposed soil. 
In central and southern 
states 1t is best to sow a 
winter cover crop early 
enough in the fall to obtain 
an abundant growth before 
winter. The winter cover 
crop may consist of winter 
grains and winter legumes 
mixed together. Rye and 
winter vetch or rye alone will suit the central states. As far south 
as the Ohio river it is well to use the following mixture: One 
bushel of rye, one peck of crimson clover, and one-half peck of 
winter vetch, for each acre. Such a cover crop ‘should supply an 
abundance of green manure when plowed under the following spring. 
Winter cover crops may be sown without plowing the field, 
provided the crop already there is not too rank to be worked into 
the soil by the use of a disk harrow. Double disking is much less 
Fic. 43.—Infield selection of seed corn watch 
for healthy stalks as well as the best ears at proper 
height. (New Jersey Station.)