The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1919-07-11
Shallow Cultivation Aids Corn Pro-
ductiOn.

ductiOn.
Corn Is sometimes injured more
than aided by cultivation, says spe-
cialists in the U. s. Department Of
Agriculture.
"Plow deep while sluggards sleep;
And you shall have corn to sell and
TO keep" is excellent advice when
preparing the soil for planting, but Is
bad practice after the plants have at
tanned any considerable size. Some
successful growers. who have averag-
ed 100 bushels of shelled corn to the
acre on hundreds of acres, say the
best single cultivation they can give
their corn is one-eighth or ten inches
deep--just before planting. But at
ter the corn Is up, each succeeding
cultivation should be shallower than
the last.
Methods of cultivation in one sec
ton of the country differ greatly from
those in another section Farmers
should not cease trying to learn bet
ter methods because of these differ
ereBs. The most valuable infOrma-
ton can be obtained from unprejudic-
ed observant corn growers of many
years experience.
The main purposes of cultivation
are to. prevent weed growth, surface
4 of al
evaporation. Proper cultivation
should secure these results regardless
of the specific meansrlsed. Some OF
the most successful corn growers
practice frequent early cultivation.
Early cultivation will stimulate the
growth of the young corn plants by
aerating and warming the soil They
will also check injury from worms, in
sects and moles. Harrows or weeders
should be used before the corn is up
or while IL is small enough to permit
their use. While the plants are
small. narrow shovels that do not
throw too much soil, or disk Guilt
-vators set to throw the soil from the
corn should be used. Tenders are
desirable to prevent covering or in
juring the small plants.
Many tests of deep and shallow cul-
tivation have been made, and results
are decidedly in favor of shallow cul-
tivation. Occasions when deep cult
walton is preferable are few. The
roots of the plants must not be brok-
en-. They will produce other roots.
but az the expense Of vitality and food
supply.
After the corn is two or three feet
high. the soil even in the middle of
the rows should not be cultivated
deeper than four inches, and usually
a shallower cultivation will prove bet
ter. Maintain a loose soil mulch two
or three inches thick. This prevents
the escape of moisture already in
the soil and soaks up the rainfall
rather than letting it run Off.
Cultivate often enough to keep
down weeds and 20 maintain con-
stantly loose soil mulch until the
corn has reacher its growth. More
civilizations will be needed if rains
are frequent The crust which forms
after every rain must be broken and
pulverized or excessive un-off or
evaporation will soon rob the soil of
its moisture.
1t is a mistake to think that the
longer the dry spell the more frequent
should be the civilizations. After the
mulch has been produced, its frequent
stirring is not necessary unless weeds
become troublesome. Many crops are
cut short by stopping cultivation be-
cause the corn is too tall to use a
double cultivator without breaking
down the stalks. If conditions de-
mand it. continue shallow cultivation
even though the corn is tasseling. 1t
is sometimes profitable to remove
weeds even by the costly process of
hand labor at as late date as the
silking OF the corn.
Under some conditions six or eight
civilizations are advisable, while UNI
der other conditions three may be suf-
fcient. The maximum yield is not
obtained by the number of cultiva-
tions, but by keeping the soil in the
proper condition.
Suggestions For Preparing Fleece For