CORN 



105 



may be done as soon as the ground and air are warm 

 enough. 



Cultivation. Shortly after the corn is planted, the 

 cultivation begins and is continued until the corn is 

 so large that the horses and cultivators cannot pass 

 through the fields without injuring the corn. Be- 



CORN CULTIVATOR 



fore the corn is up, or while it is quite small, the crop 

 may be given the first cultivation by harrowing. The 

 other cultivations are done with corn cultivators that 

 stir the soil to a depth of from one to three inches, to 

 kill weeds, and save moisture. During the dry weeks 

 of the summer it is very important that a mulch of 

 fine soil be kept to reduce the evaporation of soil mois- 

 ture. After each summer rain the ground should be 

 given another plowing to form this soil mulch and thus 

 save the moisture for a possible drought. 



