MAIZE FOR SOILING 137 



ture, preventing washing and ensuring a coni})k'tc 

 distribution in tlie surface layers of the soluble 

 plant- food; or it may be applied after })Iowing 

 in spring, providing it is fine and thoroughly 

 incorporated in the surface soil. These methods 

 will ensure the largest return of the constituents in 

 the crop, and they are particularly desirable when 

 manures are used that contain but little littei-. 

 When manure is used, ten tons per acre applied 

 l)roadcast will afford abundance of organic ma- 

 terial, containing sufficient nitrogen in available 

 forms to supply the early needs of the plant. 



It must be remembered, however, that no 

 amount of manure or fertilizer can be substituted 

 for early and thorough tillage, as tillage saves 

 moisture. This is a matter of the highest impor- 

 tance, for without moisture the plant-food cannot 

 be dissolved and circulated through the soil. There- 

 fore, whatever the method of manuring, the soil 

 after seeding should be tilled, preferably shallow 

 and as frequently as possible, until the plants are 

 too large to permit further work. The fact that 

 the plant does not make its most rapid growth in 

 any case until warm weather begins, makes the 

 necessity for early and large applications of 

 quickly available nitrogen not so great as in the 

 case of such crops as rye or wheat, or even oats, 

 that make their most rapid growth much earlier in 

 the season. Witli corn, the conditions are geiier- 



