Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1908-06-17
Corn Cultivation.

The question has arisen in the
minds OF some of our subscribers
whether deep or shallow cultivation
should be practiced this spring. One
correspondent writes: With south
ern Minnesota farmers it is not a
question Of how to conserve soil
moisture in the corntield thi. spring,
it seems to me that it would be bet
ter to cultivate deep than shallow.
What is your opinion on this sub
ject?"
Definite rules as to when to cult
vate deep aud when shallow cannot
be laid down. This will depend not
only upon the character of the soil,
but also, as our correspondent sag.
gests, upon the season. When there
is superabundance of moisture in
the soil, deep cultivation facilitates
the drying out process and more
free circulation Of air, SO necessary
to the roots of all plants.
When moisture is plentiful there
is no objection to deep blowing the
first and second times the ground is
gone over with a cultivator for the
reason that the roots have not, by
that time, extended very far from
the plants. AS the season advances
they grow in all directions, reaching
at least two feet from tie plants they
support. In other words, the soil
between the rows becomes filled
with scots and rootlets, which should
be disturbed as little as possible.
Careful investigations with refer
ence to the depth of the roots mid
way between the corn rows show
that they come to within four inches
OF the surface and in some instances
closer than that. 1t seems that when
the surface soil is hard or covered
with crust, preventing the free
circulation of air, that the roots come
nearer the surface, probably in
search of oxygen. While the corn
roots are four inches below the sur
face midway between the rows they
are closer to the surface.
The nearer the corn plant reaches
maturity the greater the number of
surface roots close to the rows. The
object of shallow cultivation is two
fold: First, to prevent the destruc-
ton of feeding roots; and second, to
provide a soil mulch sufficiently
thick to prevent unnecessary loss OF
moisture through evaporation. Ideal
corn cultivation. especially in a CON-
I,paratively wet season, consists in
deep cultivation the first and pos
sibly also the second time, followed
by subsequent shallow civilizations.
Do not conclude because there is
an abundance of moisture in the
soil at present that there will be nc
need of paying attention to its con-
servatism. Later in the season there
will no doubt be time of moisture
scarcity, consequently the create,
the amount conserved now, consist
ent with other conditions the better
will be the final crop.
Bear in mind that during a we,
season, unless the surface is KEEP,
loose, the loss of moisture through
evaporation takes place much more
rapidly than in q dry season. There
is no time when water leaves the
soil more rapidly than Immediately
after a heavy rain for the reaso1
that capillary conditions are ther
nearly perfect for the rapid conduct
ing of moisture. from below to tn,
surface. Not until the soil is stirred
after a heavy rain does this rapit
loss cease.
We cultivate corn not only for tn
conservation of moisture, but ais
for several other reasons. 1t is i'm
: portant, for instance, that GROWN,
roots should find loose soil il
which to ramify, thus enablin,
them to travel without hindrance i,
. the direction of the greatest foo
! supply. Cultivation also aids in dis
t tributing the manure that may b
in the soil fining and causing it t
to become more intimately nike
: with the particles of the latter an
> also making the soil more retentiv
of moisture.
Another object of cultivation
the destruction of weeds. In a we
]. season it frequently happens this
j. the cultivator cannot be put to wor
y 80 early as it should on account {
o the physical condition of the sol
y In such cases the weeds frequentl
get too large and too numerous t
! make it possible to destroy the,
with a surface cultivator, which
+ another reason why the first Guilty,
ton should be comparatively dec
a After the first or possibly the secon
= cultivation, farmers in the humi
n sections are ordinarily not overbu
l. dened with too much rain, and the
u shallow cultivation should be pra
y ticed.
4 During recent years bacteriologis
r have discovered that the simp
IS plants known as bacteria, whic
d grow and live in the soil, are a vel
important factor in converting il
u soluble plant food into solub
e 9, forms. These low plants (belongir
to the lowest order in existence) iu
as those belonging to higher order