The Arizona sentinel., 1889-06-29
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL.
Corn Culture.

Corn is essentially surface-rooted plant, and is more liable to injury from too deep blowing than cotton and other cultivated plants. In it's early stages it may be plowed close and deep, cut ting and tearing away most of the roots that extend towards the middles and across the path of the blow, with out fatal results. But even while quite small we have always believed that the destruction of the roots involved in in such blowing as may be necessary on account of imperfect preparation, or recent baking rains, is but choice of evils at least. Even at a still fur ther advanced stage of growth-up to knee high-deep cultivation, though cutting the roots more or less, may be justifiable. The conditions, however, that will justify deep blowing at such stage of the crop, are generally the result of neglect or improper nagement-where the ground is so infested with weeds of such size and strength, or has been left unbroken at all, that the barrow, sweep or cultiva- tor will not do effective work. The stage soon arrives when the ''remedy is as bad as the disease;" when to blow, or ''turn out" is the question. We utterly scout the idea recently ad- voeated by some writers, that corn is ever benefited by root-pruning per SC. Assuming that the corn-fie!d was well broken before planting, or deeply plowed the first time, we would dis card the scooter, shovel and other rOot-breakers and use the surface cul- tivator tnenceforward. A safe rule is to use the blow or implement, what ever it's name or cOnstrutiOn, that will thoroughly stir the surface and go over the greatest area in day. A broadcast harrow can be used until the corn is ten inches high; then an eX- banding cultivatOr, or cultivating har- row is in order.
 We are aware that these "thoughts' are not new, and possibly we may be .wearying the patience of some of our readers in ''revamping" them for this occasion. Our plea is that of all trades or professions that of farming most needs the 'line upon line, precept up on precept'' style of writing.
 The cost of bushel of corn or pound of cotton is directly and largely dependent on the number of furrows laid in each row cultivated-the num- Der of times a man and horse travels the length of each TOW. We can not afford to apply to an acre of land an amount of labor equal to the value of the crop, as is annually done on thou sands of acres in the South. A farmer can not afford to hire and maintain stout negro man and strong mule to manipulate blow that would not over-tax twelve-year-old boy and yearling calf.
 In many parts of the South the corn crop will be ready to Hay by from the middle to the last of the month. Let the last working be thorough but outtllOW' ALI UuluSo COuclCtCICu, OIIO best time to SOW peas in corn is at the last blowing. They shade the ground more effectually and yield a much larger crop of roots and vines, and often as much or even more peas. One bushel of seed peas to each acre is usually recommended, but we would be governed by the quantity of seed available. Better SOW one-half bushel, or even less, per acre, and SOW the whole crop, than to sow thicker and cover less area. We believe a crop of peas sown broadcast in corn, will, under ordinary conditions, pay all the expenses of the corn crop, counting the benefit to the land as we'll as the value of peas or vines gathered for forage. Cultivator.