PREPARATION PREVIOUS TO PLANTING 



153 



thawing of the winter months alters the physical structure of the soil. 

 Third, the decorrposition of the turned under organic matter renders 

 plenty of plant food available for the use of the young corn plant in 

 early spring. Fourth, capillary connection is re-established not only 

 because of the changed structure of the soil, but also because the turf 

 rots away. Fifth the hibernating quarters of many injurious insects 

 are disturbed and destroyed. Some, such as the army worm, are 

 turned under so deeply as to bury the pupa completely. 



If sod is plowed in the spring, it 

 should be done early. 



First, the rush of farm work requires 

 it. There will be plenty of corn-stalk 

 land which canot be plowed until later 

 because of being so wet. Wet sod, al- 

 though it turn up slick on the bottom 

 of the furrow slice, will not bake and 

 become cloddy because of the presence 

 of such an abundance of humus. 



Second, there is but a short time at 

 best in which to re-establish the capil- 

 lary connection. This is best accom- 

 plished by early plowing, for when the 

 ' sod is full of moisture it breaks up as 

 it falls over and the turf has time to 

 decay. 



ROLLING COULTER WITH SHO'J 

 IN FRONT WHICH PREVENTS 

 EXCESSIVE TRASH FROM 

 LODGING ABOVE THE COUL- 

 TER WITHOUT BEING CUT. 



Third, the sod has lost no moisture because of the growth of 

 spring grasses. Such grass, if allowed to grow until later, not only 

 uses moisture and available plant food, but in itself is a menace, 

 because it lays in the bottom of the furrow and prevents the rise of 

 moisture from below. 



The time of plowing sod in the spring varies widely. Throughout 

 the Corn Belt this time ranges from the fore part of Alarch to the fiftli 

 of April. However most of the sod, especially blue grass, is plowed 

 in the fall, and then disced and harrowed before planting. 



TREATMENT OF THE GROUND BEFORE PLANTING. 



Much stress has been laid upon the question of having a proper seed 

 bed for corn. There is no question but that corn well put in is already 



