Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1909-07-14
Shallow Cultivation is Best.

Even IN land broken only 1OuT or
five inches deep, the roots of corn, for
instance, go down much farther, and
in loose, alluvial soils go to the depth
of three or four feet; but in all soils
by far the greater number of feeding
roots are to be found in the top six
inches, or that which has been broken
and cultivated. 1t, therefore, follows
that cultivating as deep as three
inches, after the crop has made any
considerable growth, must injure to
a great extent the roots Of the plants.
Since three inches is the depth best
suited for conserving moisture, some
of the injury done in breaking the
roots when the corn crop is cultivated
three inches deep, is probably COM
pensated for by the greater amount OF
moisture saved for the use of the
crop.
In wet weather we feel quite GER
tain more shallow cultivation would
be better. In fact, in damp weather
there seems to be considerable evi-
dence to show that to merely keep tn.
weeds down is all that is necessary.
In dry weather the roots probably go
deeper, and since about three-inch
cultivation saves most moisture, prob
ably somewhere near that, but not
deeper, is the best depth to cultivate
when moisture is scarce. Of course,
root cutting will do most harm when
there is lack of moisture; therefore,
as a general rule. probably the crops
should not be cultivated more than
two inches deep any time during the
latter stages Of their growth. There
fore, the turning plow, or any other
implement which goes deeper than
from one and one-half to two and one
half inches is injurious to the crop
and is unnecessary if the proper
methods of preparation and cultiva-
tion have been followed. While the
plants are small, grass and weeds
must be kept down or serious in
jury to the crop will result; but after
the crop has made considerable
growth and filled the soil with its
roots, the breaking of these roots by
cultivation such as is necessary to
kill heavy growth of grass, may do
more harm to the crop than would
the grass. This again calls attention
to the necessity for frequent cultiva-'
tion, when the plants are small, and
when it can be done cheapest, in or
der to prevent getting in the grass
and making necessary deep cultiva-
tion after the roots Of the crops have
filled the soil.
There is still another reason for
shallow, frequent and early cultiva-
tion, which is generally overlooked
by the average farmer. Most weeds
are small and only germinate and
grow when brought near the surface
of the ground. If the ground be
stirred often, but only to shallow
depth, all the weed seeds in the top
soil quickly germinate and are killed.
After that is accomplished It'll is much
easier to keep the crop clean. Deep
cultivation, on the other hand, brings
up fresh supply of weed and grass
seeds to produce fresh crop. Shall
low cultivation can be done three
times as often, especially while the
crop is young, because it can be done
three times as fast and at one-third
the expense, and at the same time
brings about conditions which result
in small crop Of weeds and kills
those that do come when it can be
done easiest. In none of the affairs
of life is the old adage, "a stitch in
time saves nine" more clearly true
than in the killing of grass ard weeds
in our crops.-Progressive Farmer.