PREPARING THE SEEDBED 91 



plowed under, when through decomposition they give 

 it up for the use of the succeeding crops. In the case of 

 leguminous manure crops, there is a valuable addition 

 of nitrogen to the soil directly through the action of 

 the organisms forming the tubercles on the roots of 

 such plants. 



Time of Plowing — One of the points in the prep- 

 aration of the seedbed above all others is to plow the 

 ground when it is in proper condition. If a heavy soil 

 and too wet, it runs together, and when the seedbed 

 dries out and bakes, is injurious to the roots of the corn 

 plant, and will not retain soil moisture. The more 

 finely divided the soil the more moisture it is capable cf 

 conserving. If the seedbed is caked by wet plowing, 

 only a small amount of the plant food can be used by 

 the plants, and not enough moisture will be retained for 

 the growth of the crop. As a result, when the soil is 

 too dry and breaks up in clods and large lumps, a great 

 amount of preparation is needed to get such a field into 

 condition for planting and by the time such cultivation 

 is finished the tilth of the seedbed will have been 

 destroyed. There is usually a time in every season 

 when plowing will leave the field in splendid condition, 

 and it is important to wait until that time, as it always 

 results in a saving of time and money and a better pre- 

 pared seedbed. 



