Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-12-05
WORK THAT PAYS.
E L. Vincent Tells How He Did Little
investigating That Proved Valuable.

investigating That Proved Valuable.
Being OF an inQuiring turn Of mind.
l once upon a time took il into my
head TO follow the roots of a couple
OF hills Of corn TO their source, with a
view to determining as well as l could
what kind of cultivation we ought TO
give the plant while Il Is in the
process Of maturing. and | must say
that some things l learned were an eye
opener to me-
II was along in August that I did
this investigating. BY that time the
stalks were perhaps fully grown: the
plant had. in fact. done almost all II
could do in the way of growth. All
that was left was to bring the ears to
perfection.
With a good hoe and pick care
fully traced the roots OF two hills of
corn, one in one row and one in that
| adjoining, directly opposite the first
one. 1 had not gone far when 1 made
my first discovery. And that was that
had all my life long been hurting my
corn crop by using cultivators that
ripped things up away down into the
earth.
That seemed to be the thought in
early times. 90 dig down as deep as
possible. The first cultivator I remem
Der seeing was one with d stir. rigid
frame. bolted together so firmly that
; 1t could not be adjusted 70 the width
OF the rows. The teeth Of that cult.
yator were long. scoop-shovel shaped
! things. running deep by nature: and
We used TO think we ought 10 shove
them down half way 70 China or we
We're not doing anything worth while.
Now, / discovered that all. or almost
an, such work does is 20 tear the fine
roots OF the corn plant loose. really
setting IL back. instead Of furtherine
/ its progress.
After that cultivator. came another
/ still more lily contrived. so far as it's
use In the cornfeld is concerned. than
the first That we knew as the horse
hoe, a good tool in its place. but that
place is not. and never was. the corn
! field. That had q regular shovel pillow
running ahead. with two legs follow
ing. and two more that might be put
on If a man wanted 20 do stilI create
I damage 20 his corn Cron.
The tliug that imprc sod itself on
me was. that only light cultivation is
needed In the cornneld. What we need
is tool thar viii thoroughly dig up
the soil ON the surface ana not run
more than two or three inches deep
Another discovery I made was that
the roots of The corn plant are not am
directly under tha stalks. found
hem tar out in every direction. like
The roo s. CT @ b.e tree. \ little thought
viii ten ms why th's should De so The
cornstalk is heavy. especially when 10
is well laden with ears. When tho
wind strikes &C. there is a strong nur
chase and if not Wen hraced. the whole
hin is likely 10 go over.
| / remember how this worked on,
year when We were troubled terribly
By the gray grub which works at the
root of the cornstalk Hundreds OF
cornstalks went down in our field that
year; and always when we dug down
at the base of the stalks We found
/ that the small roots had been cut of
! by the grub Nature is wise. She
provides the corn plant with wide
! spreading roots. SUI another reason
for this is TO be found ia the fact that
corn needs great deal OF fertilizer TO
bring 20 to maturity. Here and there.
everywhere. the hbrous roots run. in
search for his food. II they do not
find it, small crop is the inevitable
| result.
Deep cultivation hinders the plant
from getting this sustenance so neces-
sary TO its life and growth Even
when we send the teeth of the cult
vator far down out in the middle OF
the space between the rows We are
injuring the growth Of the plant and
J so lessening our chances for harvest
I ing a good crop.-Farmers' Voice.