PREPARING THE SEED-BED FOR CORN 237 



vided the ridges are not left too high. It provides in- 

 creased drainage and warmth and obviates, to an extent, 

 the tendency of these soils to become quite compact as a 

 result of the spring rains. It must be remembered, how- 

 ever, that ridged land exposes more surface to evaporation 

 and crops are more subject to drought when this system 

 is followed than when the land is cultivated level. Even 

 where the ridging of the land is necessary, the ridges 

 should be partially harrowed down before planting. 



290. Wide beds for corn. A modification of the 

 ridging system whereby surface drainage is facilitated 

 and the advantages of level planting are partially secured 

 has been tried with excellent results by some of the south- 

 ern stations. This system is described by Duggar as fol- 

 lows: 



"Prepare the field by back-furrowing so as to make 

 eight-foot lands, or lands of double the width desired for 

 a single row. Plant two rows four feet apart on this eight- 

 foot land. This places each row two feet from a water- 

 furrow on one side. The other side of the same row can 

 be tilled level." 



