Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1908-07-17
The Last Cultivation of Corn.

The Last Cultivation of Corn.
The up-tO-date farmer is no longer
debating whether or not the last
cultivation of his corn crop should be
shallow or deep. He has noticed
stations as we'll as our most progress
sive farmers have found that shallow
cultivation is preferable to deep cul
tivation. There was a time when
many farmers considered that the
last plowing of the corn should be a
hilling up process In order to keep
the plants from blowing down. 1t
was also thought that throwing a
lot of dirt next to the row aided in
conserving soil moisture, but this
was before the nature of the root
development Of corn was understood.
When the time for laying by the
corn comes the roots extend at least
two and one-half feet in all directions
from the stalks; in other words, the
entire cornfield is then solid mat of
roots. Midway between the rows it,
Is true, the roots are not so near the
surface as they are closer to the plant,
till they are only three Of four inches
from the surface. This means that
the man who cultivates deeper than
that is not only cultivating his crop,
but he is carrying on root pruning as
we'll. The function of the roots is to
take up water as we'll as nourishment
for the growth and development of
the plant, hence he who cuts the
roots with the cultivator silovels in
jures the crop in proportion to the
amount of root pruning he does.
Everyone knows that the corn plant
is only partially developed at the time
1T is laid by. Just what the Stage of
development is on an average we don't
know, but it is probably safe to say
that only about one-fourth Of the dry
matter OF the crop has been produced
at that time, and that consequently
more water and more plant food will
be needed by the crop after 1t is laid
by In order to reach maturity than
was used up to that time.
Here is an idea from Eugene Funk,
the we'll known corn grower of Illi-
nois, concerning the last cultivation
of corn that will be of interest in this
connection: "I am not in favor of
ridging corn with our central Illinois
prairie soil when laying corn by. In
stead prefer to have my surface plow
blades set on angle so they will barely
throw light covering into the hills,
which may cover up any small weeds,
but not to make what one would call
ridge. 1 can see no object in ridg-
ing for at laying by time the corn
roots form a complete network from
one row to the other and the center
of the rows need protection as we'll as
the hill"
King of Wisconsin tells us that for
every ton of dry matter corn produces
it requires 575 tons of water, showing
that the corn crop must take up a
tremendous amount of water after it
Is laid by. 1t needs all the roots it
has developed for that purpose and
also as favorable soil conditions for
the conservat ,on of water as can be
provided. Fer this reason the last
cultivation of the corn crop should
not under ordinary circumstances be
deeper than three inches and certain
ly never deeper than four inches. Dc
not imagine that because we have
had great deal Of rain during the
early part Of the season that it will
not be necessary to take precaution-
ary measures at the present to con-
serve all the moisture possible. This
might be great mistake. Even II
we should have an abundance of m ois-
ture during the remainder Of the
growing season, whatever moisture
cultivation can conserve will be lef,
in the soil for the crops of next year
Shallow cultivation is recommend
ed; first, because it does not injure
the roots of the corn plants; and sec
ond, because it conserves the soil
moisture as we'll as deeper cultiva
tion. This has been demonstrated time
and again ny a great many OF oul
experiment stations, and as stated
before, is now fact generally accept
ted among farmers who have KEEP
!aaeeast OF the times and in touci
with progressive agricultural meth
ods -Fo rnoorc T1rihrno