Corn Growers' Association. 321 



feet wide, and thus the excessive water is quickly carried off through 

 the depressions of the field to the outlet or escape. 



My attention was first called to the great benefits secured by 

 surface grading some years ago while traveling through Northern 

 and Eastern England, and I have ever since practiced it with the 

 most satisfactory results. 



During the process of surface grading the field, attention must 

 be given to supplying humus and plant food to the depressions 

 from which the original surface is being removed, in order to main- 

 tain a uniform degree of fertility. This is best accomplished by 

 the use of the manure spreader. 



When the desired grades are once established, the surface can 

 be plowed down and up, alternately, and the drainage remains 

 thorough and permanent and is no inconvenience. 



Aside from its other functions, the annual plowing of the field 

 serves to establish a cushion for the rapid absorption of falling rain, 

 and this is very essential during the growing season of the corn crop, 

 and more especially when the showers are light and far between. 

 At such times no moisture should be allowed to escape in the form of 

 running water. With the surface grading and correct annual 

 plowing, the ideal conditions of moisture (enough and not too 

 much) are most nearly secured. 



Steep rolling land with an impervious subsoil makes a poor 

 field for corn, for the reason that the surface soil washes away badly, 

 and also that there is no reserve moisture to be returned to the 

 plant through the process of capillary action, and this is subject to 

 injury from drought. Such land should be used for pasture pur- 

 poses, and something better utilized as a corn field. 



PREPARATION OF THE SOIL. 



The ground should be plowed as long before planting as is 

 reasonably possible, to permit the bottom of the cushion of plowed 

 earth to again become compacted and firmed to the subsoil, that 

 capillary action again be established at that point. Fall plowing 

 is preferable in my locality. 



When the breath of spring begins to awaken the slumbering 

 germs of the weed seeds a good double harrowing is desirable, that 

 the surface of the ground be made smooth and thus hurry the germi- 

 nation of those weeds that are to become one of the next considera- 

 tions. 



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