Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-08-17
Late Cultivation.

There seems to be q pretty general
tendency to stop working among the cul'
tivated crops a good while before 1t be-
comes necessary to do 80. There are
several reasons for the desire to clay
by" these crops as early as possible.
When the plants have reached q consid.
erable size 1t is much more difficult to
cultivate them than 1t was while they
were small, the weather conditions have
become such as to make the doing of the
work rather uncomfortable, and various
other farm matters are constantly calling
for immediate attention. These reasons
are worth considering. But whether any
or all of them will justify one in follow
ing his natural inclination to cease culti-
vating his crops as soon as possible must
be determined by his circumstances and
the conditions under which he is obliged
to work. Therefore no one who is not
we'll informed upon these points should
undertake to give definite advice in any
specific case.
But there Is another reason that 10
sometimes given for an early leaving OF
the crops to themselves which 1t is
proper to question. This is the fear that
they will be injured by late cultivation.
1t is true that many crops have been
injured by working among them late in
the season. But as far as my experience
and observation, and information OBJ
rained in other ways goes, the injury was
not due merely to cultivation but was
caused by the faulty way in which the
work was done. Deep cultivation OF po-
tatoes when the tops were large and the
tubers were rapidly forming, and the use
of heavy cultivator between the rows
of corn that had reached height OF
three or four feet, have caused consider
able damage. But late cultivation does
not require anything of this kind. In
fact, deep cultivation should be avoided
after the crops have become we'll started.
From that time on the depth to which
the ground should be stirred should be
gradually lessened. But by using a
short singletree to avoid injury to the
stalks, and a light aud narrow cultivator
with teeth but little if any over an inch
wide, the potatoes and corn can be profit
ably worked much beyond the time at
which they are usually left to them
selves. And this late cultivation will de-
stroy many weeds as we'll as promote the
growth of the crops.
What is true of the late cultivation Of
field crops is quite as true in it's applica-
ton to the products of the farm garden.
The reasons assigned for neglecting such
cultivation are the same for both places
but the results of neglect are usually
worse in the garden than they are in the
field. This because many of the garden
plants are less able to care for themselves
than are the ordinary field crops, and
also because il they are not disturbed
after midsummer many garden weeds
will ripen their seeds and produce mul-
titude of the pests the following year.
And that means great deal of trouble
for whoever plants the ground.
In late cultivation of the garden, as in
that of the field, care must be taken not
to injure the stalks Of the plants and the
working of the soil must not be so deep
or so close to the rows as to break many
of the roots. II these cautions are OBJ
served late work among the crops will be
well repaid.-J. E. r. in Maine Farmer.