The Savannah morning news., 1901-05-13
The Cultivation OF Corn.

The corn crop being planted the Guilt
walton of it is work that calls for more
attention than is often given 10 it, There
is yet far too great an adherence 20 the
old custom of using the pillow for this
work in the South, and of so using it as
TO do great injury to the crop in several
ways, says the Southern Planter. The
objects of cultivation are two-fold First,
the killing of weeds second. the conserv-
ation of moisture in the soil and of these
two the latter is the more important for
without plenty of moisture in the soil at
the time when the crop is making its
greatest growth, and producing the grain.
the yield must be curtalled. A weedy field
may produce yield of corn probably
much less in quantity than 1t would do
II clear of weeds. but a field lacking I'm
moisture will not produce corn az all. All
the food of the plant IS taken up in a
liquid state, and it viii pine to death even
in the midst of plenty of food If there be
not present sufficient water i'm the soil
90 dissolve the food. At the Wisconsin
Station II has been proved that corn re-
quires nearly 80 pounds of water avail
bic for 1t for every pound of dry matter
produced in the crop. To secure this need
ed moisture, IL Is necessary to supple
growing period by the reserve moisture
stored in the soil from the rains OF the
winter and early spring Flowing the
crop two or three times during it's period
of growth is not the way to utilize this
reserve. On the contrary, II is the way
to dissipate and waste 1t. Every farmer
knows that when he wants to dry and fit
his land for planting. he plows IL. and
thus admits the sun and air, which soon
| okag he Tho IN
serve moisture in the soil is to run over
1t with a harrow or a weeder. Just run
ming deep enough into the ground 10 break
the crust forming on the surface and
thus cover the underlying soil with a
mulch or blanket OF soil. Through this
mulch very little moisture will evaporate.
whilst at the same time II will absorb
the rain and dew falling on the land. and
thus add to the moisture content of the
land. This mulch should be kept con-
stantly free from crusting by frequent
reharrowing or running of the weeder. or
when the crop is too large for these i'm
plements, by shallow working cultvators.
This frequent cultivation will also effec-
tuaIiy prevent the growth of weeds, as
they are destroyed as fast as they GER
inmate. In this way both the objects of
cultivation are best accomplished. That
this is so Is strongly shown In an ex-
There certain corn plats were given no
cultivation, others. hve and others four
teen civilizations Some OF the plats were
cultivated deep, and others shallow. On
the pats not cultivated. the weeds grew
iuxuriantly. aud the yield was reduced TO
seventeen bushels OF shelled corn TO the
acre. The plats cultivated shallow four
teen times yielded al the rate OF eighty
bushels OF shelled corn per acre. Guilt
al..Nf ~ aNlH1
seventy-nine bushels and cultivated five
times deep slxty-nine bushels per acre. A
pillow has no place In corp field after
the crop Is planted. except possibly in
some OF the rich river low grounds, where
the vine weeds are persistent IN growth
IN the rows between the plants, where
they cannot be reached by the cultiva tor.
There a light furrow may be thrown on
20 these sometimes. with advantage but
the cultivation between the rows, and as
close 10 the plants as possible, should be
with the harrow, woeder and cutivstor
alone Flowing cuts and damages the
roots, and induces drouthtng OF the crop
by exposing more Of the soil to the ac-
ton OF the sun and wind. The popular
idea that II Is necessary to throw a hill
10 the corn TO support IL ~ a fallacy. We
have seen some OF The heaviest and tall
est crops Of corn ever grown standing up
better with level cultivation than near
by crops hiiled with the pow. II only
the roots are not damaged by being cut
during the growing period. they Will
spread so widely around the plant a. 10
erectuaily brace It against falling over
unless IN a very heavy wind. and in such
wind. or even with a more moderate
one. the hilled corn will go over hrst.
Cultivate shallow. cultivate frequently. At
the last working. SOW either oowpeas. sap-
ling clover. crimson Clover or rape or q
mixture Of all these, la the corn, and