9 6 



FUNDAMENTALS OF AGRICULTURE. 



during the growing period. During this period there 

 is an immense quantity of water transpired by the 

 plant, given off through the leaves, and it is necessary 

 to till the soil so as to supply an abundance of soil 

 water for the use of the plants. Without the neces- 

 sary water, the plants become stunted, wilt and die. 

 Most good corn soils, when properly handled and ro- 

 tated, can be plowed from 6 to 10 inches deep. The 

 plowed land should be disked and harrowed to bring 

 it to a fine mellow condition before the seed is planted. 

 Planting. There are two general methods of 

 planting corn, in drills and hills. When drilled the 

 seeds are usually dropped singly in rows from 3 to 4 



TWO METHODS OF PLANTING CORN. 



feet apart, from 10 to 16 inches apart in the rows. 

 When planted in hills, i. e., " checked," from two to 

 four kernels are planted in rows from 3 to 4 feet apart, 

 the hills being planted from 3 to 4 feet apart. 



The advantage of checking lies in the fact that this 

 method permits of cross cultivation, which is an im- 

 portant factor in the cultivation of the crop. Wher- 

 ever possible the writer believes in checking seed corn. 



Cultivation. The objects of cultivation are: (i) 

 to conserve soil moisture, (2) remove weeds, (3) pre- 

 serve a fine tilth, (4) aerate the soil. Extensive ex- 

 periments have shown that, under normal conditions, 

 it is best to use small shovel cultivators, or " surface " 

 cultivators, and go over the field from six to eight 



