io68 Rural School Leaflet. 



deeply they were planted. Arrange them in three piles. Those that 

 were planted shallow, medium deep, and very deep. "Which plants 

 are larger and stronger? At what depth are the permanent roots coming 

 out in each case? What is becoming of the roots that first started 

 from the deep-planted grains? What depth appears to have been best 

 in this field? On which would deeper planting be desirable, a sandy 

 soil or clay ? If the soil is dry, would you plant deep or shallow ? When 

 planting corn very early in the season, would you plant the same depth 

 as when planting later? At what depth are most seeds planted by 

 Nature ? 



Notes for the Teachers. — No matter how deeply corn, wheat, oats, 

 barley, rye, or other cereals* are planted, they will send out their per- 

 manent roots at the depth that is best for the plant under the particular 

 conditions of soil, temperature, and moisture. 



Many farmers plant the grains too deeply, thinking that they will 

 force the plant to be deep rooted; they merely cause it the trouble 

 of readjusting itself. This usually so weakens the plant as to decrease 

 the yield. For best yields we should rarely plant more than an inch 

 deep. It is usually not possible to set a seeder so as to run just an 

 inch deep without its being on top of the ground part of the time. 

 The smoother the seed bed and the better it is prepared, the nearer 

 we can come to planting this depth. At the Illinois Experiment 

 Station corn was planted at different depths for five years. In one 

 extremely dry year the deep planting was best, but the five-year average 

 yields were as follows: 



Planted one inch deep 78 bushels 



" two inches deep 72 " 



three " " 65 " 



four " " *. 69 « 



five " " 61 « 



six « « 60 « 



In Ohio the average yields for six years were: 



Planted one inch deep 58 bushels 



" two inches deep 51 " 



three " " 47 « 



In cold weather or on wet soils the planting should be very shallow. 

 Sandy soils are drier and warmer, hence we plant deeper than on clay soils. 



* A cereal is one of the grass plants the grain of which is eaten. 



