Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-05-31

1t is Il common belief among farmers that
young growing complaints are greatly in
jured in disturbing or breaking the roots by
too deep cultivation between the rows, and
that surface narrowing is therefore the only
admissible kind of culture that should be Civ
en- to the crop. A different view (under prop
or restrictions) is taken by Dr. E L. Sturte-
want in his lecture on "Interculturl Tillage"
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 We're thrown out. such as grew in
the water We're shortened with pair of scis-
Sors and those in the soil with a sharp knife.
The result in nearly every instance was the
emission of new and more numerous fbres,
giving a much larger root surface than un-
pruned plants The treatment was then tried
ON young plants of corn. In one case" says
DIR. Sturtevant, ito show the success we met,
We obtained twenty-three ears of corn from
one kernel planted" In another trial, two
plants grown from one kernel of corn in Ell
Their case, and root-pruned, bore each four
teen ears, which contained 2,SSl and 2,Ss7
kernels respectively. Another plant treated
likewise, furnished twenty ears containing
3,3GS kernels. The grain was large and
plump, more so than in other hills not root
pruned" These results are so extraordinary
that farmers will prefer to try for themselves
an experiment easily performed. The theory
is worthy of thorough testing, as the young
corn plants may be easily t-pruned by
means of sub-soil cultivators and more eff
GENTLY if the corn is planted in hills, as to
be worked both ways, instead of in drills.
DIR. Sturtevant's theory is that cutting or
breaking the roots gives a check to the growth
of the plant, and thus tends to the production
of seed instead of stem and leaf. Although
he does not say so, we suppose he farther
holds that the immediate or subsequent in
crease of the root surface gives an increased
development to the seed thus formed, by q
fresh start in the growth of the plant for a
sterile soil alone will not do it. The work
must be judiciously performed, so as to pro-
duce benefit instead of injury. If too heavi-
ly or too frequently pruned, the plants might
be too much checked. DIR. S. says it should
not be performed later than the bloom Of the
plant. High manuring tends to n rank growth
of stem and leaves at the expense of the pro-
ductiOn of seed. A check, whether by root
pruning or drouth, dverts the growth toward
seed. DR.. S. cultivates his corn in the field
so 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 cul-
tivated only one way. He continues the OPP
Grafton frequently, until the tassels appear,
when the work ceases.
In applying this treatment to plants in gen.
eral, it may be well TO remind our readers
that different species possess very unlike pow
ers for the production of new shoots after
pruning, and this difference should greatly
modify the treatment. That which would
succeed well with one plant might destroy
another We see this difference in the growth
of the limbs of fruit trees. The peach, for
example, when heavily pruned freely throws
out new shoots, even after the leaves have ex.
banded. A like mutilaton of the cherry
would kill the tree. Cutting the roots of corn
would necessarily be modified or adapted to
varieties in the richness of the soil, the vare.
ty of the corn, whether large or small and to
the moisture or drouth and the temperature
of the season. 1t might obviously be more
freely performed in the warm and fertile re.
gions of the South and Southwest, than with
the small corn and in the colder regions OF
New England. 1t will be observed that thi,
pruning is analogous 10 the root pruning o.
some fruit trees to increase their fruitfulness
the same result being produced by transplant
ing certain garden vegetables.
We offer these various suggestions with tn,
hope that some of our readers may give th
theory and its corresponding practice a thor
Ough trial with variations, during the cominl
season. COuRtry GeHtLemaH