[AT] IH Grain Binder, now corn planting

[jtchall at nc.rr.com]

I've never seen the shucking gloves you guys have mentioned, but I have seen 
and used what dad referred to as a shucking peg (I think). It was a piece of 
sheet metal with one end bent and pointed with a leather loop that would fit 
over 2 or 3 fingers. The 2 we have are only about 20 years old, bought them 
at a now closed hardware/farm supply store.

Hard to imagine corn planted almost 3 feet apart. Riding by on the highway 
it appears to be planted around 8-12" apart these days.

John Hall


-----Original Message----- 
From: Herb Metz
Sent: Saturday, October 06, 2012 3:00 AM
To: Antique tractor email discussion group
Subject: Re: [AT] IH Grain Binder, now corn planting

Woops; forgot to mention the BOSS shucking gloves that had two thumbs on
each glove. When the high traffic areas started wearing holes, one could
switch the glove from left to right, and vice versa. Doubt if these two
thumb gloves are available today as very little corn is hand shucked; could
not find them on google.
Most corn planters were set up for 42" rows; Dad' s goal was just under 3'
apart for each plant.  Farmers fortunate enough to have all dark, fertile
soil would use "check" planters, but seldom took the trouble to "check"
plant..  We always used a combination lister-planter.  A lister dug a 14"
wide furrow (best described by bolting or welding a 7" right hand plow to a
7" left hand plow), now mount a normal planter behind.  Set the lister for a
7" deep furrow and the result would be a 12" elevation difference between
the furrow and the resulting ridge of loose soil. This ridge of loose soil
would be leveled during three cultivating  operations a couple weeks apart
(cultivator consisted of several cultivator spades and several disc blades).
This 7" deeper plant had roots 7" deeper, thus providing a sturdier
root/stalk more resistant to any wind, and also providing a root better
located for surviving dry weather.
My trips to central KS are only in Sept for high school class reunions and I
have not discussed todays method of corn planting with old friends; it
probably has changed to the surface planting associated with check planting
because this is less expensive/involved. The furrow planting may no longer
be necessary as todays shift to hybrid seed and commercial fertilizer and
irrigation has provided sturdier plants capable of withstanding the winds
and dry weather.  Also rows of corn are much closer than the 42", and plants
are much closer together than approx 3'.
Herb