
New York AGRICULTURAL EXxpERIMENT STATION. 175 
season, the difference was much greater, amounting in the case of 
the corn to 20 bushels and 47 pounds. 
As this experiment touches upon a subject of considerable 
importance to the farmer, it is thought well to add a few more 
words of explanation as to the method in which it was performed. 
All are not familiar with the lawn-edger. A draw- 
ing of itis therefore given. It consists of a thin 
blade of steel, attached to a suitable handle, the 
blade being in the form of a semi-circle and hay- 
ing its curved outer edge ground sharp. In the | 
tool used the width of the blade at the points | 
shown by the dotted lines was almost exactly 3 
inches. In using it, the handle was held at an 
anglé of 45°. With one surface of the blade fac- 
ing the hill, the blade was inserted into the soil as 
far as the lower end of the shank, as shown at the 
intersection of the dotted lines, and at a point 6 or 8 
inches distant from the hill. The blade was then — [F1¢- No.2] 
thrust forward about a foot, taking care that it did not enter the 
soil further than the point of the shank, when it was withdrawn 
carefully so as to disturb the soil as little as possible. Near the 
end of the stroke thus made, the tool was*inserted in the same 
manner, but at right angles to the first stroke. This operation 
was repeated until the hill was surrounded, the four strokes 
describing a square with the hill at its center. It is probable 
that every root crossing the line of these cuts was severed, but it 
was not possible that roots lying much below 3 inches deep could 
have been injured. As the soil was scarcely disturbed, very little 
of the benefit that accrues from cultivation could take place. We 
have, therefore, the effects of the root mutilation isolated. 
We may fairly infer from the results of this experiment, taken 
in connection with those of the one cited from our last report, 
that only harm results from mutilating the roots of young corn 
plants. The question naturally arises then, “ What is the proper 
method of cultivating corn?” for all will agree that some method 
of keeping the surface soil loosened is an absglute necessity. 
The following experiment was suggested by this question, but, as 
will appear, the results do not add to our knowledge. 
‘i 
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