The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1868-01-22
Is Corn q Shallow Rooted Plant ?

Some of my brother farmers hold
and practice on the theory that corn
Is shallow-rooted plant, and hence is
not benefited by deep blowing, aud
that the sod in blowing far corn
should not be turned under deeper
than four to six inches.
According to my own experience
this theory will not hold true in eth
er the two points involved first let
us establish the fact as to whet er it
is or is not shaIlow-rooted plant !;
when this fact is firmly established,
we must then consider the second
point put forth by the theory, viz {:
that deep plowing is not beneficial to
corn.
lnasnuch as I never was convinced
that CORN was shallow-rooted plant,
have perhaps used moro exertion to-
prove the contrary. than most of those
who have adopted and admitted the
theory. T%o years ago my corn6eld
was divided into two portions by al
stream; which in common times would
run through n box six inches square,
but having fall of at least one foot in
ten for portion of its course. In the
latter portion of the summer We had a
heavy rain which converted our RIVE
let into a torrent and caused it to
overflow it's Haa;ssiks. Et cut For itself
new course across one Of che former
bonds, and demolished a row of corn
some twenty-five foot long in its
course After the surplus water ran
off, the creek took up with it's new
channel, and the change was not dis
covered for about one month,
and during this time the chan
mel had been cut 10 the depth of
two feet close to- the row of corn, and
laying bare one-half of the roots
Same of the lateral ones were found to
be two feet eight inches long, with evil
dent signs of having been evon three ;
some of those still fast in the edge of
the ditch and running very nearly per.
pendicular, wero found to be two feet
two inches long.
Last year one of my ncighbors who
was favorably situated for the expert.
ment directed small portion of II
similar stream from it's course and
caused it to fall from height of three
feet upon a hill of corn out in tasscl
when tho experiment began the: re-
suit was that the gradual action Of
tho water separated the earth from
the roots. and with the exception of
somc few of the perpendicular roots
nc was able to extract the whole hill
of three stalks with their roots very
near entire. These three stalks when
set upon level surface and their
three roots spread out on all sides, oc-
cupiea' in n circle FIVE feet four and
ono-half inches in diameter. My
neighbor seems very we'll satisfied
that he did not succeed in obtaining
any of the roots for their entire length,
as some of them wero SO very minute
us to, be, broken by the smallest stream
OF water which ho could diroct to
them. One of the roots running very
near pcrpendicularly, was measured
and found to be two feet and too inch
es in length. This bundle of roots
which lie now retains as curiosity,
has been pronounced by some not in
secret, to be a mass Of tangled sea-
weed, which it in ruth. somewhat re-
sembles.
The result of these two experiments
(Which any one can try for himself)
have convinced me that curn,. instead
of being a sh@Mow-rootcd plant is in
reality very deop-rootcd one.
The last mentioned experiment
will, if properly considered, give us
some facts which may be useful in
enabling us to determine at what dis
tancc our rows of corn should be from
each other this will consider in an
other part ofmy article, and now en-
dcavor to prove that whether corn is a
dcep-rooted or shallow rooted plant,
deep plowing is or will be beneficial to
i it. . :
n y u
| mentioned in the former part of
this article that my neighbours expert
ment in washing the dirt from his
corn roots, brought out several facts
which were of Importance in dctermi-
ming the proper distance at which
corn should be planted apart in the
row. His experiment and my accI-
dental one both go to prove tkat the
roots of a hill Of corn occupy circle
having diameter of nearly six feet.
whereas we, by the most common
mode cf planting, only allow them
four feet in diameter. From this it is
evident that the ends of the roots
from two adjacent rows must have,
for certain period of their growth, to
maintain struggle for the nourish
ment existing in the space they bo,h
occupy.
In view of this fact, could not
greater yield of corn be obtained by
having the rows five or five and a half
feet apart ? There is, without doubt.
a limit beyond which it is not ccono-
m'cal, but [ am convinced that five
feet (when drilled is nearer the park
than four.-John S. Pringle, m Ger
manfo,cn Telegraph.