The Dermott news., 1919-04-24
CULTIVATION IS AN
IMPORTANT FACTOR
Proper Preparation ard Machinery
Help in Race With Weed,
Sun and Wind

Machinery. Agricultural Extension
Division
Under favorable conditions about
three days after corn has been plant
cd. one can trace the rows across the
field by the tiny green sprouts that
are Just coming through the ground.
The weeds will also be on the Job ia
very short time and a battle will
begin to see whether the sun. wind.
weeds or corn get the most moisture
The wise farmer will have prepared
deep. we'll pulver1zsd Arm seed bed
in anticipation OF adverse weather
conditions and this will be great
plants In fact. good seed bed 10
the foundation for proper cultivation
work Then comes cultivation that
the maximum yields may be obtained
at harvest time Many factors that
the farmer may control II he WILL.
enter into this young water between
corn and cotton on one hand and the
weeds. soil and element. on the
other
We cultivate TO kill weeds. TO aer.
ate the soil and TO conserve moisture
Curing the early stages OF growth
AZ the corn gets older the roots more
completely hll the soil. tending to
prevent the evaporation of moisture
because the surface soil is so com
pletely filed with tiny roots that II
l. pab hot
bic amount OF evaporation takes place
in soils IN good fertile condition with
almost mature corn 10 reduce the
WELD seriously but unfortunately
most Of the soils Of this state are
low in organic matter and II pro
longed cultivation will increase the
Yield per acre. he is Wise man who
raises the few extra bushels OF corn
per acre rather than having 10 pur.
chase II later ON.
Little data il available for Arkan-
sas conditions TO show the value OF
cultivating corn and cotton against
non ouitiyating. but experience has
taught Us that unless the weeds are
kept down and mulch on the sur
face 20 preserve moisture that the
Type of Cultivation.
TIE kind of cultivation may ne
summed mp in one word Surface
Not 80 much depends on the greater
acreage planted for a greater Yield.
but on better cultivation Of that that
He- been planted. 1t Is estimated
that nearly three fourths of the roots
are in he piowed portion Of the soil.
~ an experiment. let the farmer
take bucket of water and spray
pump TO the cornheld. spray the dirt
away from The corn roots and no.A
how they rsmify through the surface
soil In rows OF average width. with
corn three feet high the soil in the
rows and between the rows will prac-
tiCallv b. filled with corn roots. On
soils tow in organic matter, with .
shallow seed bed We find large mass
o, the roots very near the surface. IN
i fact. Just under the crust Bearing
in mind the above and bearing in
Z I''IHU thai lIlt pldIN A'AN rs $3.50
/ through these many roots. then II Is
necessary TO avoid those types OF i'm
plements and that practice that will
DESTROY corn or cotton roots.
Corn should rarely be- cultivated
with u shovel eultivator before tGS
+ FIRST two leaves are out For frst cui-
tivation a section harrow or weedef
Is excellent. breaking up the crust
and killing millions Of tiny weed :
Using the section harrow twice or
three times often proves profitable
Sometimes the Gee. Whizz or diverse
eultivAtor is uaed instead OF the has-
row bur the main objection 10 this
is that too much time Is wasted
when the ground should BE- gotten
over quite rapidly Al al times tho
vent evaporation ~ moisture. Tie
shovel eultivator FOR the first cultiNa-
ton gives excellent results because
AZ that time the soil probably has
become packed The small roots NAV
easier work their way through he
ground NNtN inc SUNNtl hhA' lpt0tI
ed il not deeper than four inches
F,nd.rs supplied with the cultiVator'
enahi. one "a avoid covering th2
Young plants.
The second cultivation should h.
more shallow II the shovelS are " i
set them for ordinary conditions. ~
hey dc not penetrate more than
= to inches For subsequent ea'-
tbatiors. sweep. Of the hu7tard wlht
rvp, gopher blades correctly st or
spring ,cnfh attachments are EJECT
lent Il adjusted 50 they cut the weed,
OF an iaeh to oneand ahalf inches
below the surface and allow a mulch
to be formed over every par of The
roV Ne bare middles should be left
Large solid tWteps are Objectionable
because they do leave a bare, hard
streak down the center OF the rows.
For cultivation after the corn gets
foo high for the twohorse eultlHator.