Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1909-07-09
Right and Wrong Cultivation of Corn,


Despite the widespread agitation
for better methods in the cultivation
OF corn and the need of larger Yields
to offset the increasing value of land,
there is still a large amount of inef-
fectual work done in the cultivation
OF the corn fields of the middle west
1t is high time that those methods
which have been found Objectionable
by our best corn growers should be
cast aside, The old idea of corn cul-
tivatiOn was to throw as much dirt as
possible, and the man who could tear
up the most sub-surface soil and leave
the deepest burrows and the highest
ridges was conceded to be frst-class
plOwman, and big yield was proph-
esied for the field so treated.
We are now in possession of Know
ledge with regard to the handling of
different soils and the growth of the
opposite Of what should be created to
aid the development of the root svs-
TEN and the future growth of the
corn plant that shows the folly of
such methods. The7 create eondi-
tons in the soil which are the exact
corn plant.
Generally speaking we cultivate
corn, first, to keep the weeds from
gaining Roadway and monopolizing
the moisture and available plant food
in the soil, second, to maintain mel
low surface that will check the evap-
Grafton of soil moisture and admit
warm air to bring about certain fav-
Orable conditions in the soil for the
growth of the corn roots. The ideal
implement to bring about the above
results, provided the soil is properly
prepared previous to planting, would
be the harrow, for it would cover the
entire surface and stir it to a depth
that would kill the most weeds and
still leave unframed the roots of the
corn, but for reasons evident to any
experienced corn grower. the harrow
would not be a practical implement.
We are, therefore, compelled to
choose which will when rightly man.
ipulated, accomplish results as nearly
identical as possible, and such a cult
vator is one of at least three shovels
to a side, or one of the surface pat
tern.
1t is decidedly Objectionable to cul-
tivate corn so that ridges or trenches
are left between the rows. In the
first place the surface area of the field
is increased from % to 50 per cent
and this exposes the soil to a greater
loss of moisture by evaporation than
where the surface is level. The earth
will be heaped about the hills in which
in which case the weeds adjacent to
the hills will merely be covered and
continue to grow, or the row will be
left on a narrow ridge, and thus the
roots will be exposed and the sur
rounding soil quickly dried out in
case of dry weather. In case of
heavy rains on land that is rolling,
more or less of the hills viii be wash
ed out, at least up to the time the
corn is six inches high.
The farmer who would secure a
maximum yield should also consider
| the question of depth to pillow. Much
corn is undoubtedly given a set back
by too deep blowing, especially after
the first cultivation. Here again, nc
rule can be given, the proper depth
depending on the texture and forma.
ton of the soil. The object of deer
cultivation is of course to loosen 8
soil, and therefore, deep cultivation
, is entirely out of place in soil that j:
naturally of an open texture. Or
such soils surface cultivation accom-
'plishes the best results. In the eul
tivating Of corn the development O
the root system of the corn plan