The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1914-03-26
THE LEON REPORTER THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 1914.

the 'Seed Bed" that is, the first six
or eight inches of soil. Fertility ex-
tends many feet down and it can be
utilized by resorting to common
sense rotation and thorough tillage.
Plant food in soluble state forms
an envelope around each particle Of
soil, and is taken up by roots hairs
and carried into the plant. Carbon
dioxide from the air is breathed into
the plant through air valves in the
leaves. The oxygen is separated
from the carbon and passes out as
free oxygen and the carbon unites
with elements that have come from
the soil to FORM starch, sugar, etc.
Seed Selection.
We now come to the question of
seed. 1t is very apparent in view of
! the phenomena Of plant life, that the
seed must throw out holding roots
and a stem above ground far enough
to secure carbon dioxide from the
air before plant food in the soil can
be utilized, hence the great necessity
of planting seed that possess strong
vitality. If seed has been heated in
| the stack or bin, cut green or has
been subjected to inclement condi-
tions, it will be weak and anaemic
and the stunted early growth will be
reflected through the entire life OF
the plant.
1t has been repeatedly demonstrate
ed that plump healthy grain will
yield from twenty-five to thirty per
cent more than seed ungraded. Corn
intended for seed should be picked
when ripe, thoroughly dried and stor-
ed in well-ventilated seed house.
If corn absorbs moisture. freezes
and thaws, it's terminating strength
is greatly weakened.
It is practically useless to place
seed in the ground when the tenn
perature of the ground is below
forty-five degrees, although it will
terminate very feebly at forty-one
degrees.
Again, seed is Influenced by hered-
ity. Breed and strains are as mark
ed in seed as in animals, hence the
advantage of securing we'll bred seed
of good strain. Corn is especially
susceptible to hereditary influences.
Inbred seed, or seed fertiliZed by
pollen from barren stalks or sucker
stalks, will in great measure pro-
duce its kind.
Cultivation of Plants.
Plants are cultivated for three
purposes,
|, To remove weeds.
2. TO keep the surface in good
filth.
3. To maintain a. surface mulch
for the purpose of conserving mois-
ture.
Conditions should govern the
farmer as to the nature, frequency
and depth of cultivation. Growing
grains may be narrowed or rolled.
If the soil is baked and weedy, har-
rowing is beneficial. II the soil is
loose, roller either corrugated or
smooth closes cracks, thereby pre-
venting the escape of moisture and
at the same time packs the loose soil
around the roots of the grain.
Head crops of all kinds should be
lightly narrowed before and after
the plant is up. Deep cultivation OF
corn is permitted until the roots are
in danger of being pruned. After
corn or potatoes are eight or ten
inches high, every deep cultivation
lessons the crop. ! will venture the
assertion that the corn crop OF the
United States is lessened each year
fifteen per cent because of the al
most universal practice of deep cul-
tivation after the plant is ten or
twelve inches high or after the roots
have spread to the point where they
can be cut by cultivator that runs
deep.