Progressive Agriculture 105 



A little explanation of the habit of the plant 

 will clearly show the vital importance of a certain 

 soil condition for sure results. 



If the seed bed is fine and firm and has been 

 held in a uniform condition for three to four 

 weeks by spring tillage before seeding, then after 

 the seed germinates a small but vigorous system 

 of roots form. Next a stem reaches the surf ace and 

 immediately a crown is formed right at the top 

 of the loose soil and the leaves begin to form. 

 When the third leaf appears, roots begin to 

 start from the bottom of this crown to go down 

 into the soil. If by chance there is two inches or 

 more dry mulch on top of the moist soil, these 

 roots find difficulty in reaching the moist soil 

 as it seems to be too far to go without moisture and 

 not infrequently the plant withers, as the tiny 

 thread that supplies the elements of growth from 

 the original roots below to the crown cannot sup- 

 port the plant. If, however, there is not more 

 than one inch of loose soil or a rain happens to 

 fall and moisten the mulch, these roots soon get 

 busy in the moist soil and very rapid growth of 

 the plant follows. Therefore, a little extra care in 

 fitting means many bushels difference in yield. 

 We saw fields in 1914 that were entire failures 

 because of a deep mulch and a prolonged period 

 of hot, dry weather. 



