Graham guardian., 1912-02-09
WHERE PLANTS FEED
Principally in Soil Turned With
the PIoW.
Where Deep Flowing 10 Practfcec
Ground ls In Condition to Hold
More Moisture Than That
Which Has Been Loosed.

(By w. C. PALMER, North Dakota Agri-
cultural College.)
The plant feeds principally in the
soil that Is turned with the plow.
This can be determined in any field
by noticing the poor growth that the
plant in the dead furrow makes, the
fair growth made by the plant out
side of It. and the best growth made
by the plant on the back furrow. The
plant in the dead furrow. while IT
came from the same kind OF seed as
the others, cannot make the growth,
as 1t has to feed In the sub-soil--soil
that has not been turned with tho
plow--and the plant food that 10 In It
has not been made available. The
plant on the back furow has an ex-
ira amount Of soil that has been
turned with the plow, and the result
is that, having more available food.
It makes a larger growth than the
plant on the regularly plowed land.
This, then. gives an insight into
what is needed by the plant to make
it's best growth, and the beauty Of 1t
is that the plant tells US ITSELF The
surface soil will dry out to the depth
OF at least two inches. The roots
cannot feed In this. II the plowing
is but Ave inches deep. that leaves
the plant only three inches Of soil
that is in condition for It to feed
from. II the plowing is eight inches
and the same amount dries out on the
surface. the plant then has six
inches, or twice as much soil, that 1t
can feed on. as compared to three
inches on the flve-inch plowing. This
should make it quite plain, from the
standpoint OF the plant getting its
food. that the deeper plowing 10
quite important
Then there is the other fact that
rain soaks into the deep blowing
more readily and quickly, so that
there will be less run-off from It than
from the shallow plowing. The plow-
ed soil is also in condition to hold
more moisture than that which has
not been loosened up with the plow,
both through the soil grains being
better arranged and through the add
ed organic matter. Another matter
that should be considered here 10
that the plant must have the mois-
ture where the food Is. that It Is go
ing to take up. Being in the soil
turned with the plow, that Is where
the moisture must be to do the plant
much good. This is the reason. then,
why the soil should be packed and
every means taken to have 1t in good
contact with the sub-soil SO that as
the plant uses UP the moisture In the
surface soil, more moisture can travel
up to take its place. The deep plow-
ing also makes It necessary that more
organic matter be added to the soil.
else, as the soil is worked deeper
and the organic matter distributed
in more soil, there will be less
amount of 1t In a given amount OF
the deep-plowed soil than the shallow
plowed land. The fact that the plant
feeds In the soil turned by the plow
is reason. too. why corn should not
be cultivated deep after 1t has made
good root system, as the main feed.
ers being 80 near the surface. some
Of them will be cut Of and the plant
delayed In its growth. as It must
grow new roots before 1t can properly
feed itself. Especially is this Inn
portant late in the season. And in
dry farming. corn should be cultiyat
ed late, as two reasons for growing
It In this system Of farming is to save
moisture and to kill weeds.
These points in regard to where the
plant feeds and the consequent need
Of deep plowing, Of adding organic
matter. Of shallow tcuItivation for cul
tivated crops, need to be kept in mind
whether the farming is being done in
dry or humid climate, but more at
tention needs to be given them in
dry farming.