Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-08-19

ance o. these feeders weakens the
plant and results in a decreased yield
OF both corn and fodder. 1t was thus
found at the Illinois station that about
10 per cent OF the roots woald be reach1
ed at the depth OF four inches or less
az distance OF six inches from the
stake
II Is evident that cultivator run
at the depth Of four Inches or more
would disturb all these roots, with the
result OF weakening the plant and les
SEEMING the yield. The theory which Is
advanced by some writer's on corn
culture. that It is wen to root-prune
or tear on the roots near the surface
IN order to force the pant to strike
deeper into the ground. Is fnlacious
one. The Illinois station also found
and recorded the act, in one of their
early bulletins, that pruning roots TO
depth OF four inches from the stalks
reduced the yield OF corn 16 per cent
In 1889 and % per cent In 1890. other
stations have found similar results
from root-pruning, and 20 far as
know not single experiment In de-
stroying the surface roots has resulted
In an increased yield OF corn. This then
settles the fate Of the large shovel deep
running cultlvators, Ana YET nine
tenthg Of the cultivators In use In the
corn belt are OF this type. l think II
will be safe to estimate that the yleld
Of corn viii be increased 10 per cent
by n change from deep to shallow cul-
ture,
But we cultivate for two reasons;
First to suppress weeds, and se7ond.
TO keep the surface soil loose And
one reason why farmers adhere to the
practice Of deep culture lies In the fact
that the large pluws are more eitsctVe
ia covering up heavy growth OF weeds
than the small ones; and change to
shallow culture viii therefore also
mean that the corn must be cultivet ID
before the weeds get strong FOOT oil l.
But this is Just what ought to b. done
anyhow, not merely as u matter OF
principle, but because Of the greater
economy Of time and labor. No one
disputes the fact that the time TO Kill
weeds is when they are just breaking
through the surface, and at this stag 2
the work can he done more rapidly,
more efficiently and with less EFFORT
on the part OF both team and man
than when the weeds are four Inches
high.
/ know how difficult It is to keep
up with the work In corn growing time,
with large crops to handle. when with
seasonable showers and warm weather
the weeds fairly leap into being. But
the forehanded farmer should be pre-
pared for this and start his nlow early,
even before there Is any apparent need
OF H. He will save money and In the
end It viii require less labor to keep
the corn clean, and by shallow culture.
say not to exceed two inches, he will
make money by an Increased yield In
the crop.
The advocates of deep culture VIII
advance the argument that IN the case
Of a drouth corn that has received shall
low culture will suffer more than corn
which is plowed deeply, for the reason
that since the plant has large amount
OF roots near the surface It will feel
the drOuth sooner than II would II these
surface roots had been destroyed b.
deep culture and the plants thus forced
70 develop roots deeper in the soil
rhs argument seems plausible until
we look further into the facts, and II
must be admitted that In a drouthy
season Il is desirable to have the roots
deep in the ground. But, in the Il 81
place, II is not proven that the destruc-
ton Of the roots In the surface sol
results in any marked development Of
roots in the subsoil And, in the sec
! ond place, roots can be developed deep.
l err In the soil by more efficient means
! II Is n well-established fact that tbs
/ other agricultural plants. will develoI
best where they find the soil in tn,
most suitable condition to their needs
and where they find the creates
amount OF nutrition. Were II neces
cary, could produce more evldenc,
in support OF this statement. Doubt
less the fact that the surface soil &
not only richest but also better pull
verified. more porous and friable thar
ia aNalaarn Mt In, urf
reason for the tendency OF the corr
plant to spread its roots In the uppei
layer of soil and II we should prepar,
a deeper layer OF soil by deeper pillow
ing, the roots would naturally grow
deeper
Again, deep blowing by the use of tn,
lister Is undoubtedly the best meant
to tide over a drouth. Herein Kansas
where the rainfall Is somewhat uncer
tain, the majority OF the farmers lis
their corn, and In dry season liste,
corn frequently yields fair crop. wheI
surface-planted corn Is a failure. TIL,
roots OF listed corn arc not so near tn,
surface, and they therefore do not fee
the drouth so severely, For this sam
reason listed corn can be cultivate,
deeper with lmpunity.
But the latter cannot he used TO ad
vantage anywhere, especially where tn
rainfall Is usually sufficient to suppl,
the needs of the crop. In such region
listed corn would be liable to he drown
ed out unless the soil was well draine !
Again, on stiff clays listing cannot b
practlced with the same advantage a
II can on the black prairie mold.
But The point desire particularly T.
make is that the old idea OF deep cul
ture for corn is erroneous, and tn
sooner we can change to a system o
shallow culture the more we will saw
In labor II we take the weeds in tim
and the sooner 1t will result in bette