PRFPARATION' OF LAND FOR TMK SKKD 153 



and fall with the freezing and thawing, and aro 

 not seriously injured. 



230. As the soil becomes hot at the surface 

 in June and .Tuly, the shallow roots d»'sc«'nd 

 to the subsurface soil, wln'i»> it is cool and 

 ulu'H' the plant-food was not drawn ui>on <nn- 

 in.i^ the fall ; while the d»>»>i> fall-root»'d plants 

 will be unable to find new fectlini,' jjrround when 

 tht\v n«»(Ml it most, just before fruitinir, unless 

 th»' roots start towaid tho surface, which they 

 will not do, for in midsummer the surface soil is 

 liard and dryish and to«> warm for wheat roots. 



4'>. }[tiize, or Indian corn 



*Jb(). The seed-bed for maize, which is a sun- 

 plant and does l)est when ]»lanted in a warm 

 soil, nuiy be prepared in a ditTerent way from 

 that (lesifjne<l for wintci- wh«'at. Since maize is 

 plant4Ml in the sprini^, when the soil is often too 

 cool for tliis semi-troj>ical plant, the subsurface 

 soil should not be as comj>act as for wheat. If 

 left rather open, the warm sj»rini,' rains jiass 

 quickly to the subsoil and warm the soil (77). 

 The more open seed-bed will allow a f!""'- .i'-.n. 

 lation of warm air through the soil. 



2(\\. The best nuK'hines for j>lanting maize 

 are those which deposit the see*! one to two 

 inches below the surface in the fine, moist soil. 



