Putnam County herald. (Cookeville, Tenn.) 1903-1922, 1917-03-22
CORN GROWING
Getting Moisture into the Soil for
Good Corn YieIds-Preparing the
Land for Planting

Corn gets what it takes from the
soil in liquid form, therefore, there
must be moisture to spare. The &C
tual number of inches of rainfall on
a given field, however, is not alone n
safe guide, especially in droughty re-
gions, as much depends on the amount
of water that is stored at different
seasons; the amount that is wasted
in runoff, evaporation, or seepage;
and finally, the amount actually made
available to the root system of the
corn. 1t has been estimated that a
rainfall of 10 inches will be sufficient
to produce. 50-bushel yield of corn
provided none of it escaped except
through the plants. Even weeds, how
ever, can not take over every bit of
moisture and it is impossible under
field conditions to prevent losses.
Corn specialists of the Bureau of
Plant Industry, United States Depart
ment of Agriculture. in Farmers
Bulletin 773, therefore, caution corr
growers in droughty regions 1) TO
plan their cultural operations so as
to have the soil surface in best con-
dition to take water when rains are
most likely to occur; (2) so to handle
the soil that deep penetration may be
secured; and (3) so to cultivate the
soil as to store up heat and at the
same time prevent excessive loss of
soil water through capillary action and
surface evaporation.
The ease with which soils take IN.
retain or lose moisture depends most
ly on their texture, physical condition,
and surface slope, they point out. 1t
is to the extent that cultivation can
modify these factors that more water
can be made available to the growing
crop.
There are loose, open soils through
which water pours as through sieve,
and there are tight, gumbo soils
which swell when the surface is mois-
tened and become practically waterSl
proof
Sandy soils take in water more /
readily than heavier soils; hence, less
precaution is necessary to prevent
run-off.
The greatest loss may be from seep-
age to depths beyond the plant roots |
Manure and decaying vegetable mat |
ter check seepage and improve soils !
Of this character. AS corn roots !
penetrate to even feet deep, larg
er yields of corn are frequently rails ,
ed on sandy soils in semiarid regions |
than on surrounding hard soils.
The heavy, hard, or close-textured
soils require the most cultivation to !,
keep them in proper condition so as |
to prevent moisture loss from run-off !
and evaporation. Unless the surface !
is kept broken or somewhat rough, !
but little water will be absorbed dur i
ing hard rains and greater loss will
occur from evaporation. To maintain
the surface soil in proper condition, j.
cultivation is necessary soon after
heavy rains II cultivation is too fire.
uuent, however, SO that the surface !
becomes too fine, moisture can not
penetrate readily. and blowing Of the
soil is likely to occur. i
1t Is of great importance that mois. ,
ture be made to penetrate several
Ieet below the surface. In most soils
his penetration is slow, and during
hot, dry weather surface evaporation
Is great. Surface moisture can not
frozen soil. Summer and
'all precipitation has time to pene-
rate several feet deep and be in a
position to support growing crop
zext summer. While it Is seldom al