14S 



CORN 



slumps away and is carried to lower levels. Such conditions have 

 compelled corn growers in these localities to rotate, and in some 

 cases to even sow the fields to grass permanently. 



DIAGRAM SHOWING THE POSITION OP THE CAPIL- 

 LARY TUBES AFTER A FIELD HAS BEEN 

 PLOWED TO A DEPTH OF 4 TO G INCHES. 



As tlie furrow-slice is turned they are broken. Hence the 

 moisture from below is checked in its upward current 

 just below the bottom of the furrow. Hence plants ger- 

 minating near the surface are cut oft from all supply 

 beneath. This is why corn on spring plowed ground 

 starts slowly in the early part of the season. 



Fall plowing cannot be recommended for all climates and local- 

 ities, but should be more generally practiced than at present. If a 

 cover crop or sod be turned under in the fall, decomposition wil' 



DIAGRAM SHOWING WHAT EFFECT DISCING, HAR- 

 ROWING AND ROLLING HAS UPON THE 

 PLOWED FIELD. 



Of course the surface is made much liner. But the disc 

 reaches down to greater depths and beffins to settle the 

 loose earth upon the furrow-bottom. The packing grad- 

 ually re-estahlishes the capillary connection. The fact 

 that spring plowing rec|uires some time during the early 

 part of the season to accomplish this process tenas u. 

 hold the moisture of the soil until later in the summer 

 "when it is most needed. 



increase the amount of plant food available for the crop the next sum- 

 mer. This is true to some extent even though the crop is not turned 



