CHAPTER IV 
CULTIVATION 
We are still old-fashioned enough to believe that the chief 
object in cultivating corn is to destroy and prevent the growth 
of weeds. A good crop of weeds and a good crop of corn 
are never grown on the same land. Weeds not only feed on 
the food the corn should have, but they will pump off the 
needed moisture in time of drouth and interfere with the 
economical handling of the crop at harvest. 
Next to destroying weeds, the object of cultivation should 
be to conserve the moisture by stirring the soil at frequent 
intervals in order to secure a mulch. 
Besides killing weeds and conserving moisture the culti- 
vator should aérate, warm, and loosen the soil to allow the 
roots to extend into the ground. There are a number of good 
methods of cultivating corn. Any culture that keeps the 
fields clean of weeds and at the same time does it without 
pruning the corn roots may be considered a good method, 
although perhaps not so economical and efficient as some 
others. 
HarROWING AND ROLLING 
Harrowing corn kills millions of weeds when they are 
most easily killed,—before they are up. It prevents the for- 
mation of a crust and, most important of all, it goes over a 
larger area in a short space of time. If a hard rain comes 
before the corn is up we harrow all that we have planted 
as soon as conditions will permit us to get on the field. We 
do this harrowing whether we are through planting or not. 
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