312 THE PRINCIPLES OF AGRICULTURE 



large seeds or from cuttings of potatoes? Why? How may plants 

 change their root system to adapt themselves to different kinds of 

 seed-beds? How is the seed provided with food to start it off before 

 it can secure a foothold on the soil? Explain the different char- 

 acter of seed-bed demanded by clover and sugar beets. From 

 what part of the soil do most of the farm plants derive their 

 nourishment? How does a well prepared seed-bed conduce to the 

 earliness of the crop? How do plants differ in regard to the 

 character of seed-bed that they require (Explain by contrasting 

 winter wheat and Indian corn)? 



Explain the importance of moisture to the germination of 

 seeds. What kind of seed-bed is best for the preservation of soil 

 moisture? Eeview the remarks on the earth-mulch in Chapters 

 III and IV, and make an application to the present discussion. 

 What is meant by the "subsoil," "surface soil," and "sub-surface" 

 soil? What is the value of rolling the seed-bed? Explain why 

 the seed-bed should contain no free water. If it is desired to 

 plant seeds unusually early, what must be the preparation of the 

 seed-bed, that is, how may the soil be warmed up? What 

 effect has under-drainage on the germination of seeds (251a)? 

 What can you say about soils that tend to bake? What is the 

 advantage of sowing seeds very early? Do all seeds that germinate 

 make good plants? Are those that fail to make good plants 

 necessarily a total loss to the farmer? Under what conditions are 

 seeds sown on the surface of the soil without the actual prepara- 

 tion of a seed-bed? What cautions are given respecting the 

 making of seed-beds on clay lands? Why is summer-fallowing 

 practiced as a preparation for wheat growing (2556)? 



Discuss the seed-bed that is best for winter wheat. Under 

 what system of tillage may this seed-bed best be secured? What 

 effect does this seed-bed have on the root system of the wheat 

 plant? Why is it best that wheat roots should not go directly 

 downwards deep into the soil? Is it probable that the root system 

 of the wheat plant tends to change somewhat as spring advances? 



What is the ideal seed-bed for maize or Indian corn? How 

 does it differ from that of wheat? What are the best machines 

 for planting corn? When may the young corn be tilled? 



