THE GROWING OF CORN. 89 



numerous others to form ; and in two or three days there is 

 a greater provision of roots for feeding than there was 

 before the cutting. These facts, which I have elaborated 

 elsewhere, lead us, as verified by experience, to the follow- 

 ing rule : Force the plant to the utmost vigor of growth, 

 and then keep checking the growth as it is seen to be 

 excessive. When the plant is seen to be growing rapidly, 

 run the cultivator, and stop this growth : as soon as the 

 plant secures rampant growth again, use the cultivator again, 

 and this until the plant flowers, hut not later. By this means 

 a succession of growth-impluses are given to the plant, and 

 increased prolificacy is the result. 



This method of action is more available for high culture 

 than low culture ; is better befitting the good farmer's than 

 the poor farmer's practice ; is most available where the 

 greatest luxuriance of growth has been secured. 



The second object of cultivation is controlling the moist- 

 ure of the field. When earth is pulverized, the tendency is 

 for this fine soil to dry rapidly during and after the opera- 

 tion, on account of the exposure of its particles to the 

 atmosphere, and on account of breaking the capillary con- 

 nections with the soil underneath : hence, if the soil is too 

 wet, cultivate in order to dry it. On the other hand, dry 

 pulverized earth is a non-conductor of moisture ; and hence 

 a layer of pulverized earth resting in a disturbed condition 

 upon the lower layer of the soil serves as a mulch, and con- 

 serves the water in the lower layers of the field, preserving it, 

 in a degree, from evaporation : hence, cultivate in a drought 

 in order to economize the water in the soil. 



We have the following rule : cultivate deeply in a wet 

 season in order to dry the land the most possible ; in a 

 drought, cultivate shallow in order to secure a fine mulch 

 on the surface. On account of the importance of these 

 statements we fortify them by quoting Professor Stock- 

 bridge's experiments with boxes of a cubic foot capacity, 

 filled with soil without disturbing the position of its particles 

 or strata, and taken from fields under cultivation with corn. 

 The experiment extended through seven days (from June 26 

 to July 4), the weather very warm. The water lost per 

 acre was as follows : — 



