170 AGRICULTURE FOR BEGINNERS 



to kill the grass and the weed seeds that are germinating 

 at the surface. When the corn plants are from a half 

 inch to an inch high, the harrow should again be used. 

 A little work at this stage will save many days of labor 

 during the rest of the season. 



Corn is a crop that needs constant cultivation, and dur- 

 ing the growing season the soil should be stirred at least 

 four times. This cultivation is for three reasons: 



1. To destroy weeds that would take plant food and 

 water. 



2. To provide a mulch of dry soil so as to prevent the 

 evaporation of moisture. The action of this mulch has 

 already been explained. 



3. Because "tillage is manure." Constant stirring of 

 the soil allows the air to circulate, provides a more effec- 

 tive mulch, and changes unavailable plant food into the 

 form that plants use. 



Deep culture of corn is not advisable. The roots in their 

 early stages of growth are shallow feeders and spread all 

 over the ground only a few inches below the surface. 

 The cultivation that destroys or disturbs the roots injures 

 the plants and lessens the yield. We cultivate because 

 of the three reasons given above, and not to stir the 

 soil about the roots or to loosen it there. 



In many parts of the country, the cornstalks are left 

 standing in the fields or are burned. This is a great mis- 

 take, for the stalks are worth a great deal for feeding 

 horses, cattle, and sheep. These stalks ought always to 

 be saved by the use of the husker and shredder. Corn 

 after being matured and cut ought to be put in shocks and 

 left thus until dry enough to run through the husker and 



