Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-07-22
Che tarmer.
Culture Of Growing Crons.

The two great objects in the cultivation of
growing crops, are
/. The distinctions of weeds. or the pre-
ventton Of all growth but that of the crop it.
SELF
2. Keeping the soil in the most favorable
condition for 4he support of plants.
Weeds are hurful in various ways. In
their early growth they take little but water
from the soil, but that may be needed by the
growing crop Soon they demand more
precious elements, using up the stores of
plant food the soil may contain. A thrifty
weed takes as much nutriment as thrifty
corn plant, and both cannot at the same time
employ the same elements. When it is re-
membered that nothing grows without feeding,
the importance of feeling nothing worthless
will at once be seen.
Weeds are injurious in crowding the crop,
depriving it of needed exposure to the light
and air. Imperfect growth is always the re-
suit of too great closeness of the plants,
whether caused by weeds or the crop itself.
The plants shoot up slender and weak in
their struggle for liz ht and air, and the pro-
duct cannot be what it would under more
favorable circumstances.
1t is important, therefore, to prevent the
growth of weeds, as far as may be, by him
dering their termination Or destroying them
as soon as they appear. In the culture OF Of
all " hoed crops sit is not necessary to wait
for weeds to get up above ground before
commencing the war against them. AT first
they have but single. root, which can be
broken very easily, and to the death OF the
plant, 1t is not much labor to hoe corn or
roots thus early, but neglect it, and it will
require ten times the digging, picking ana
pulling at later day.
The implements Of culture-the piow,,
horseshoe, harrow, and so on, will DO much OF
this work. Straight rows, seasonable labor,
and constant vigilance will make light work
of what otherwise will seem an intermnable
piece of labor. After few weeks the crop
will so e Get the start" of the weeds as to
hinder their growth, and then we may lay
by" our soil-stirrers and weed cutters, and
wait for the harvest without fear OF more
than one crop, and that the one we have plant
ed or sown.
2. That the soil be kept in the most favor
able condition, as to its mechanical relatluns,
for the growth of plants is equally important.
The soil, if not naturally mellow, must be
made so, that the roots may be able to pene-
tra,c the same--and that the nutriment 1t
contains may be put, by air and moisture, in
state to be taken up by the roots, which are
the mouths Of plants.
All heavy soils are benefited in several
way, by frequent cultivation. One has al
ready been stated in the preceding paragraph
Another benefit is the breaking up OF the
crust which forms as the soil dries after rains
preventing the ascent Of moisture from be-
meath, OF its absorption from the atmosphere
A deep and mellow soil will bear far more
rail- without injury than shallow and hard
one, 1t will also much better withstand the
effects of dry weather, and it is often proved
that culture goes as far as manure n perfec-
ting the crop.
This cultivation, as in the case of destroy
inc weeds, should be most frequent and ttor-
augh while the crop is in its first stages AS
its growth advances, the roots of the plants
extend and will he injured by any very ex-
tensive stirring of the soil. Nor will 1t be
as needful as at first, from the fact that the
permeating roots tend to keep the soil mellow
as also does the shade Of the growing crop
Sufficient working should be given, however
to prevent weeds from perfecting their seeds
and thus preparing needlcssly for the ever con-
tiured labors of the farmer i'll their exter'
mnatjOn.