THE CULTIVATION OF CROPS 2OI 



weeds are allowed to grow, they poison the land, steal 

 plant food, rob the soil of its water, and shade the earth. 

 It may cost something in labor and effort to keep weeds 

 away, but it costs a great deal more to let them grow. 



We find several other interesting facts in these results. 

 The four inches of hay, used as a mulch, did not secure 

 the best yield. An abundance of water was held in the 

 soil ; but the soil was cold too cold and the crop was 

 cut short. 



The dry earth mulch is better. It is better than a vege- 

 table mulch, when either deep or shallow culture is given. 

 It is a great deal less expensive, also. And it is effective ; 

 it keeps the water in the soil. 



You will note but a slight difference between the two 

 plots that were given frequent and infrequent shallow 

 culture. What is the significance? Just this: there was 

 no need for the excessive culture. The five cultivations 

 did all that was needed : the mulch was made and main- 

 tained and the weeds were destroyed. All that was 

 needed was on hand and the work was done. Hence, a 

 moderate amount of cultivation, if it be done well, if it 

 keeps weeds out and water in, is to be preferred to very 

 frequent cultivation ; not because it is less effective, but 

 because it is a less expensive practise. 



When the shallow and deep cultivated plots are com- 

 pared, a slight difference is noticed a difference of eight 

 bushels per acre in favor of shallow cultivation. In this 

 case, some of the roots of the deep-cultivated plot were 

 disturbed and injured we noticed that and the yield 

 was cut short. Had this not been the case, the yield 

 might have been just as g(xxl ; it might have been 

 better. 



The depth to cultivate growing crops. This gives rise 

 to the question : How deep shall we cultivate? That ques- 



