72 A YEAR IN AGRICULTURE 



The soil mulch. By the use of the right kind of imple- 

 ments and a knowledge of the principles of tillage, the farmer 

 keeps the soil in proper condition and prevents the growth 

 of weeds. If a hard crust is formed on the surface of the 

 soil by the dashing rains of summer, the soil water rapidly 

 comes to the surface and is evaporated by the sun and wind. 

 The farmer wants to have this water escape from the soil 

 through the corn plants, giving up on the way the plant-food 

 it has absorbed out of the soil. He therefore breaks up the 

 crust of earth and saves the moisture for the corn crop. 

 The moisture from the deeper soil gathers below the mulch 

 about the roots of the corn where it can be utilized. If 

 weeds are allowed to grow, they will be sure to get their 

 share of this moisture, thus robbing the corn. 



XI. MATURING OP CORN 



Corn should mature. To be reasonably satisfactory for 

 general use corn must also get ripe. We want the corn to 

 use the entire growing and ripening season; but we do not 

 want it to be of a kind that needs two weeks more of grow- 

 ing weather than our climate can furnish. We want corn 

 that will mature. 



Large ears and maturity. The common disposition of 

 farmers to select large ears has had a tendency to produce 

 a strain of corn requiring a long season a season longer 

 than can be depended upon year after year. So it often 

 happens that, with a late spring or an early fall, or both, 

 a large share of the corn does not get ripe. When cut before 



