1. The first requirement in the production of any crop is to see that soil conditions are as close to the optimum as possible. Barley prefers well-drained soils, light to medium in texture with a high pH

Application of Fertilizers it has been suggested that phosphate and potash should be applied to the land well in advance of drilling and the nitrogen incorporated into the seedbed just prior to drilling otherwise much of it would be lost by leaching.
One should remember that germination is much retarded by fertilizers in contact with the seed.
Cultivation. With a more extensive and deeper rooting system than the other cereals, maize will require deeper ploughing, cultivations and seed-beds to obtain maximum growth. Autumn ploughing is advisable on stronger soils and it may be left early spring when textures are light. Cultivations which follow should be to a depth of 4-5 inches. They kill the weeds after germination; inter-row cultivation can follow crop emergence to obtain further weed control. Chemical means are often preferred. Seed-beds should be uniform and fin e to obtain a quick germination and to assist the action of herbicides in their control of weeds.
Seeding. Minimum temperatures for growth of maize are around 50 F (10 °C) and thus early spring sowings are of little value except when the soils are warmer than usual. Under cool conditions seeds rot.
When the average t is over 50 F the emergence of maize will take approximately two weeks. Late spring frosts can also damaging to seedling maize although with the cold tolerant varieties being introduced there is every chance that this crop may now survive the first few degrees of frost.