i66 



Journal of Agricultio'e. 



[9 jNIarch, 1908. 



of the maize plant anchor it to the soil and enable it to stand up against 

 adverse winds and to maintain its upright position, and in a luxuriantly 

 growing crop like the one under review (10 ft. 6 in. high in places), the 

 roots must necessarily go down a good depth. 



On examining the root system of these plants at matuirty, I found that 

 the layer roots, which spread laterally in all directions, reached easily 

 from 18 inches to 2 feet, while the rootlets and root ha;rs were so close 

 and numerous as almost to defy description. When the plant has fully 

 matured the root system has become so extensive and involved that it 

 is a complete network. 



PLOT OF HICKORY KING, AN IMPORTED VARIETY. 



Any one who will take the trouble to wash away the soil from the roots 

 of a maize plant, will readily observe how wonderful it is, and how easily 

 one may understand the power of the plant to withstand drought and to- 

 build up so large a structure and bulk of feeding matter in such a short 

 time. 



From observations made, it was apparent that deep cultivation is in- 

 jurious to the plant, causing the destruction of the surface feeding roots, 

 checking the growth and thereby reducing the bulk of the crop. What 

 applies to this particular plant will apply in a more or less degree to other 



