CORN OR MAIZE 61 



at hand that they will not branch out or grow down deep 

 in the soil, and when dry weather comes later in the 

 season, the roots will not be able to reach the water in 

 the deeper subsoil. A small root system will thus result 

 from sowing the fertilizer in the hill, and the corn will be 

 more easily blown over. Sometimes a small amount, 

 60 to 100 pounds of fertihzer per acre, if placed in the 

 rows, will start the plants off more rapidly, thus enabling 

 them to get ahead of weeds and insects. 



45. Plowing and preparing the seed bed. — It might 

 be well before discussing the methods of preparing the land 

 for corn, to consider some of the essentials of a good seed 

 bed. Why should the land be plowed? Will not the 

 plants grow as well in soil that has not been broken up 

 by the plow? When we know the principles underlying 

 the purpose of plowing, we are more nearly able to analyze 

 the conditions and thereby determine the most desirable 

 practice to follow. There are several reasons why plowing 

 makes the soil more favorable for plant growth. In land 

 that has not been plowed for some time the soil particles 

 are packed closely together and the surface soil becomes 

 firm and compact. When this condition exists, the soil 

 does not readily absorb water from falling rain, and much is 

 lost by surface runoff. And, too, since the soil particles 

 are close together, moisture that is already in the soil 

 will reach the surface by capillarity and be lost by evapora- 

 tion. Thus plowed land will not only absorb more water 

 but will also prevent that which is already in the soil from 

 being lost by evaporation. Plowing increases the available 

 water for the plant in another way. Since the plant only 

 uses capillary water, or that which forms a film around 

 the soil particles, plowing by breaking up the soil into 

 finer particles permits the presence of a larger amount of 



