PREPARATION OP LAND FOR THE SEED 153 



and fall with the freezing and thawing, and are 

 not seriously injured. 



259. As the soil becomes hot at the surface 

 in June and July, the shallow roots descend 

 to the subsurface soil, where it is cool and 

 where the plant- food was not drawn upon dur- 

 ing the fall ; while the deep fall -rooted plants 

 will be unable to find new feeding ground when 

 they need it most, just before fruiting, unless 

 the roots start toward the surface, which they 

 will not do, for in midsummer the surface soil is 

 hard and dryish and too warm for wheat roots. 



46. Maize, or Indian corn 



260. The seed-bed for maize, which is a sun- 

 plant and does best when planted in a warm 

 soil, may be prepared in a different way from 

 that designed for winter wheat. Since maize is 

 planted in the spring, when the soil is often too 

 cool for this semi-tropical plant, the subsurface 

 soil should not be as compact as for wheat. If 

 left rather open, the warm spring rains pass 

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

 The more open seed-bed will allow a freer circu- 

 lation of warm air through the soil. 



261. The best machines for planting maize 

 are those which deposit the seed one to two 

 inches below the surface in the fine, moist soil, 



