160 THE CULTURE OF CORN 
deeply, but after that the cultivation should not exceed 
one or two inches in depth. 
Corn roots must have plenty of moisture, and they 
seek this moisture near the surface. During the grow- 
ing season the corn plant will absorb its own weight of 
water over and over again, and as this water passes 
through the corn system the corn food is carried into the 
cells of the leaves, where the sunlight transforms it into 
the material that the plant needs in its growth. 
It is said that the leaves of the corn plant on an acre 
of soil will throw off during a season water that would 
cover the ground to a depth of ten inches. 
This, if true would prove that we must conserve the 
soil moisture if we successfully grow corn. This is the 
most important feature of corn culture, and one we must 
learn and appreciate. 
That system of corn culture must be adopted which 
will conserve the soil moisture so that it may be avail- 
able in sufficient quantities during each day of the growth 
of the corn plant. The moisture must not be allowed to 
evaporate from the ground. 
The only way to preserve soil moisture and prevent 
evaporation is to keep stirring the ground to the depth 
of one or two inches, so as to procure the soil mulch or 
blanket of finely pulverized soil on top of the ground. 
We must ever keep in mind that corn has but two sets 
of roots, feeding and bracing. The feeding roots are 
small and tender, and run out from the plant in a ho- 
rizontal direction and when full grown exceed the height 
of the stalk. They first appear but a few inches below 
the surface and never penetrate to the depth at which 
