152 



CORN 



time is needed lo decompose such turf, requires that it be plowed in 

 the fall, thus allowing the freezing to break up the furrow slice. The 

 closer the furrow slices are laid together, the greater the retention 

 of moisture and consequent heaving. Because the roots fill the sur- 

 face layer of soil so full of humus 

 and undecayed organic matter that 

 cultivation of the crop is difficult the 

 first year, the mat of grasses on the 

 surface is usually burned before 

 plowing, because the sod is slow 

 in reconnecting the capillary tubes 

 and "firing" of the corn often results 

 during the summer because of this 

 condition. 



Because of the newness of this 

 soil and the large amount of plant 

 food which is available early in the 

 season, fiax is largely used for the 

 first year's crop, especially in the 

 northern districts. In the southern 

 part of Iowa, the northern part of 

 Missouri, and over a large part of 

 Kansas, winter wheat is often sown the first year. 



Rotation of crops has 

 1 I now come to be a perma- 



• ^ nent factor in improved 



farming. Clover and tim- 

 othy meadow, because of 

 a short rotation in which 

 corn is the heavy yielder 

 and money crop, hardly 

 ever becomes really sod- 

 ded. Furthermore, be- 

 cause corn follows them 

 directly and is expected to 

 produce heavily the first 

 season, a greater amount 

 of alteration in structure in the sod is desired. Hence a plow 

 with steeper mold board is used. Plowing pasture lands and 

 meadows in the fall has five distinct advantages. In the first place, the 

 work can be done at a more slack time. Second, the freezing and 



STEEL JOINTER. 



Used to tear up stiff sod just in front of 

 the mold board. 



TYPES OF BULLING COULTERS. 



