162 SOUTHERN FIELD CROPS 



permeable gray sandy soil (Norfolk sandy loam), the 

 yield was one year favorable and one year unfavorable 

 to this method as compared with level planting. 



Planting corn in water-furrows is not to be commended 

 for stiff soils; but for permeable sandy soils, this course 

 seems to be advisable. 



153. Preparation for planting in the water-furrow. 

 This system is the most popular one on sandy uplands and 

 other dry soils. When the preparation is to be thorough, 

 ridges are made by back-furrowing in such a way as to 

 leave the water-furrows about 5 feet apart. The bed is not 

 quite completed, but a narrow strip or balk, 6 to 8 inches 

 wide, where the water-furrow will be, is left unplowed 

 until the farmer is nearly ready to plant corn. Then with 

 a shovel plow, he throws out this balk and plants the seed 

 in the freshly broken furrow, often by means of a com- 

 bined fertilizer distributor and planter, which places both 

 fertilizer and seed at the bottom of the newly made water- 

 furrow and 5 to 8 inches below the level of the highest part 

 of the ridge. 



During tillage, the soil of the ridge is worked toward 

 the plants in the water-furrow, so that, when the crop is 

 laid by, the field is practically level. 



" Listing " is a special method of planting in a deep 

 furrow ; it is common in the dry regions of the Southwest. 



154. Depth of plowing. Naturally this should vary 

 with the character of the soil and the depth of the pre- 

 vious plowing. In general, it may be said that most 

 Southern corn fields are not plowed deep enough. The 

 increase in depth is best made gradually, plowing each 

 year one inch deeper than the preceding, until the desired 



