28 



BULLETIN 320, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



use a weeder (fig. 24) or spike-tooth harrow for the first cultivation, 

 and for the next four or five cultivations the 2-horse 8-shovel culti- 

 vator is mostly used. The 1-horse 5-shovel 1-row cultivator (fig. 25) 



is often used for the last culti- 

 vation. A 2-horse potato plow 

 having four long sweeps and de- 

 signed for ridging the land is 

 often used for the last cultivation. 

 About 35 per cent of the farm- 

 ers grow crimson clover and rye 

 or vetch as cover crops after corn. 

 The principal varieties of corn 

 grown are of the yellow dent type, 

 but some white dent is grown. 

 The most prevalent weeds are crab-grass, smartweed, nut-grass, 

 Canada thistle, ragweed, and purslane. 



SURVEYS IN MOULTRIE COUNTY, ILL. 



The tillage records for Moultrie County, 111., were taken near Lov- 

 ington, which is in the prairie region. (Table XIII.) This section 

 is exceptionally level. The farms are divided into uniform fields, 



Fig. 24. — A weeder used for the first culti- 

 vation of corn. 



Pig. 25. — A 1-horse 5-shovel corn cultivator ; at left with sweeps attached, at right 



with shovels. 



which are well fenced. The farmers appear to be very prosperous, 

 with exceptionally good houses and outbuildings, but only a few of 

 the roads have been improved and hauling is very difficult during 

 wet weather. 



The soil is a very dark-colored sticky clay, known as the prairie- 

 loam type, which cakes easily and becomes extremely hard in dry 

 weather, frequently cracking badly. It is very fertile, and prac- 

 tically no commercial fertilizer is used. Nearly all the cultivated 



