156 FORAGH CROPS 
favor, is the dropping of fine manure in the hill at 
time of planting. The advantage of this method 
is, that the organic substances will ferment quickly 
and warm the soil, and thus encourage a quick 
germination; and a more rapid early growth is to 
be obtained, as the plant makes a quick start, gets 
away from insects and makes possible an earlier 
cultivation of the land. 
Tillage 
The methods of cultivation have been greatly 
improved in recent years, owing to a more careful 
study of the nature and the composition of the 
plant. While the old notion that cultivation pre- 
vious to planting is the best, is true to some 
extent, tillage has for one of its primary purposes 
the destruction of weeds in addition to the conser- 
vation of moisture, and this is accomplished by 
frequent and deep tilling subsequent to planting 
as well as previous to it. Immediately after the 
crop is planted, the surface should be stirred to 
destroy the young weeds in the rows, and to pre- 
vent the rapid escape of moisture. This can be 
accomplished by harrow or weeder. As soon as 
the corn is three or four inches high, the ordinary 
cultivator should be run through the row, the first 
one or two cultivatings being three or four inches 
deep, then gradually shallower, as the plant grows, 
