55 THE BOOK OF CORN 



cultivation also firms the bottom of the furrow so that 

 capillarity will furnish the necessary moisture for ger- 

 mination. No more important point in the preparation 

 of the seedbed can be found. In heavy soils with a ten- 

 dency to lumps, the clods are broken up by the disk- 

 ing and no air space is left to dry out the seedbed and 

 injure the roots of the young corn plants. In loose soil, 

 disking packs the soil, making a more complete and 



Fig 26— Direction of Rows of Kernels. Boone County White 



No 329, straight rows; 327, rows turn to right; 32S, rows turn to left. 

 See Chapter 11 



successful mulch. By using an ordinary adjustable 

 smoothing harrow after the disk the seedbed is put in 

 the very best condition. 



Subsoiling has been recommended by many agri- 

 cultural writers as a necessary procedure for prepara- 

 tion of the seedbed. A careful distinction must be put 



