THE EARTH'S BOUNTY 



planted by this method may be cultivated close 

 to the hill and 3 to 4 inches deep at the last 

 cultivation without injury to the roots, while 

 in level-planted corn the roots rising nearly to 

 the surface several inches from the hill are de- 

 stroyed by close cultivation. Deep cultivation 

 for the purpose of forming a thick soil mulch 

 is considered necessary, however, for the last 

 cultivation of corn in hot and dry climates. 



SMALL GRAINS. Wheat roots examined 

 110 days after sowing the seed were found to 

 extend directly downward, sending out nu- 

 merous small feeders which practically occu- 

 pied the soil to a depth of about 4 feet. In 

 later experiments the roots of durum (a va- 

 riety of wheat adapted to somewhat alkaline 

 soils and hot, dry climate) and bread- wheat 

 reached a depth of more than 4 feet, and 

 again showed that the system of rooting is 

 vertical instead of lateral, as in corn. The 

 root development was greater in the durum 

 than in the bread- wheat samples. It was also 

 observed that the root development in cereals 



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