The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1878-06-19
Breaking Corn Roots.

are greatly injured in disturbing or
breaking the roots by too deep cult
walton between the rows, and that
surface narrowing is therefore the
only admissible kind OF culture that
should be given to the crop. a diff:
ferent view (under proper restric-
tions) is taken by DR.. i. l.. Sturte-
want in his lecture on = Intercultural
Tillagc.' He tested, in the first
place, the theory of root-pruning on
young plants, by growing them in
water, and in soil in pots. When
the new roots were thrown out, such
as grew in the water were shortened
with pair of scissors, and those in
the soil with sharp knife There
suit in nearly every instance was the
emission Of new and more numerous
fibres, giving a much larger root sur
face than unpruned plants. The
treatment was then tried on young
plants Of corn. in one case" says
DR.. Stlrtcvant, . to show the success
we met, we obtained twenty three
cars of corn from one kernel plant
cd" In another trial, two plants,
grown from one kernel OF corn in
either case. and root pruned. bore
each fourteen ears, which cont aimed
2,SSl and 2,SS7 kernels espectivcly.
Another plant, treated likewise, fur
nishcd twenty cars, containing 3,36S
kernels The grain was large and
plump. more so than in other hills
not root. pruned." These results arc
So extraordinary, that farmers will
prefer to try for thcmSclvc,-an ex-
pertinent easily performed. The the
DRY i worthy Of thorough testing as
the Young corn plants ma! be easily
root-pruned by means OF Subsoil cul-
tivators, and more efficiently if the
corn is planted in hills. ~ a. 10 be
worked both ways. instead oil i'll
drills.
DR.. Sturtcvant> theory is that
breaking or cutting the roots gives Il
check to the growth OF the plant.
and thus tends to the production Of
seed instead OF stem and leaf. Al
though he does not say 50. we sup
pose be further holds that the immc-
= diatc or subsequent increase of the
root surface. gives An increased de
velopment to the seed thus formed.
by fresh start in the growth of the
plant for a sterile soil merely will
not DO it This work must be iu-
! GiciOuSlV pertormed. SO as to produce
benefit instead Of injury. If too
heavily or too frequently pruned, the
plants might he too much checked.
DR.. :. SAYS it should not be per-
formed later than the bloom of the
plant. High manuring tends to a
rank growth of stem and leaves AT
the expense of the production Of
seed \ check. whether by root
pruning or drought, divcrts the
growth toward seed. Dr. :. cult
Yates his corn in the field 81 as to cut
the roots. but he does not inform us
of the measured increase per acre
effected in this way His corn is in
drills, and is cultivated only one way.
He continues the operation irc-
qucntly, until the tassels appear.
when the work ceases.
IL applying this treatment to
plants in general, it may be well TO
reluind onr readers that different
species possess very unlike powers
for the production Of new shoots
after pruning, and this difference
should greatly modify the treatment.
That which would succeed we'll with
one plant might destroy another.
We see this difference in the growth
Of the limbs OF fruit trees, The
peach. tor example. when heavily
pruned freely throws ont new shoots.
even after the leaves have expanded.
\ like mntilation of the cherry
would kill the tree Cutting the
roots Of corn should necessarily he
modified or adapted to varieties III
tie richness Of tho soil. the variety
Of the corn. whether large or small.
and To the moisture or drought and
tie temperature of the season. 1t
might obviously be more freely per
formed in the warm ami fertile
regions OF the South and Southwest.
than with the small corn and in the
colder regions Of New England. 1t
will be observed that this pruning is
analogous to the root-pruning OF
some fruit trees to increase their
fruitfulness. the same result being
produced by transplanting certain
garden vegetables. -..........-...