The Mena weekly star., 1918-06-20
MUST CULTIVATE
 YOUR CORy FIELD
Good Cultivation Depends Upon Same
 Principle For It's Effectiveness.
By L. W. Osborn, Agronomist College
 of Agriculture. Fayetteville.

tSS L. W. OeDOln, ABfOnOmlSt College of Agriculture. Fayetteville
 A maximum yield of corn is not ob- tained unless the corn field is proper. ly cultivated. Cultivation practices vary in different localities depending tupon the character of the soil. habits of weeds to combat, and upon labor 'f conditions. However, good cultivation depends upon the same general prin- ciples for its effectiveness. Exper- fence of farmers everywhere has shown the value of Ecuitivatien in making corn crops
 The most important object of cul- tivstion iE to get rid of weeds. Weeds compete with the corn plant for both plant food and moisture and practical iy no grain will be obtained if these are not removed Experiment sta, tons have shown that the elimination of weeds is the biggest reason for cultivation. Aside from this, cultiva- ] ton is important to conserve moisture and to aerate the soil and make plant food available.
 When young corn plants are getting | cte-A ACas AhAhfottOn lo ACCCocdAy tt loosen up the surface on tightly pack ed soils and to pulyerize the surface on clayey soils, which tend to crack This reduces the amount of surface evaporation and therefore conserves moisture. At the same time culti. vated soil is warm and more favorable to early growth of the young corn l plants.
 Depth of Cultivation important
 The depth of cultivation will natur- ally depend upon the character of the root system of the corn plant. The roots of the corn plant extend down. ward and iaterally and within . month are estimated to have lateral expansion of two feet and in two months the spread has a radius of about four feet. The depth of the roots below the surface depends upon the moisture conditions. Tn . wet season and late fin tine season when the ground is shaded the roots are al- most at the surface, but ordinarily in the growing season they are estimat- ed to be at about three to four inches below the surface In the mid dle of the row and somewhat closer to the surface nearer the corn plant. Shallow or surface cultivations two Or three inches in depth, may be made effective in keeping down weeds and do no appreciable harm 10 the roots of the corn plant Deep cultivation Is practicable only when the weeds have made such a start that no other course is possible to get rid of them. How and When To Cultivate. The best time to begin cultivation is before the crop is planted. This can be done by carefully disking and narrowing & we'll broken seed bed. If the surface does not become too badly packed a weeder or harrow can bs used to excellent advantage just be- fore the corn comes up. and again af- ter the first two leaves are above ground Such cultivation is economi; cal since one covers the ground rapid ly. The regular cultivationx with the corn cultivator should begin when the earlier when the use of a harrow has been fmpracticable. When the ground is packed it is practicable to cultivate the young plants fairly deeply with out harm, but this is unnecessary unless the seed bed has not been well prepared. All later cultivations should be shallow. The corn field should be cultivated frequently enough to make certain that weeds do not get start. IL is a good plan to figure on cuitivat- ing once every ten days until the corn is waist high. OF once after every packing rain
 There are many types of cultivators which can be used to good advantage if properly adjusted. Cultivatofs with tAree or four small shoveis to each ganH arc to be preferred to large shovel euitiyators which have ten, dency to 70 too deeply. Sweeps nf the bzrzzard wing type. gopher blades correctly set, or sUring-tooth attach ments are very satisfactory whea ad- justex 90 as to cut the weeds of one to. one and half inches below the surface.
 After the corn gets too high for t&tE " 0-noA eV t14ttf6t0f hkG VAS-hUt n8 Gee Whix'' of the spring-tootii type is excellent. Care should be taken to make certain that none of the teeth are penetrating too deeply. especially near the cern plants.
 When Ts lay-ny.
 The question of when to layby corn is always important and will depend upon the character of soil and the sea, son. On good sells where weeds ara kept fairly well under control it is questionable whether cultivation giv- en after the corn Is waist-high is of much value. On ordinary soils when the moisture supply is a determining factor 1t is ordinarily best to continue cultivation until the corn is tasseIling RAISE SUBSTITUTES FOR WHEAT