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Show SOIL MULCH OF IMPORTANCE Cultivate Rather Slow Early In Spring, Increasing the Depth aa the Season Advancea. Hy fTtor. A. M. TKN KTf'K. Kartaa Mellow soli Is not as good a conductor con-ductor of beat as firm soli. A thick mulch of mellow soil should permit less heat to enter the soli than a thin mulch. However, the thin mulch may be as effective a covering for retaining retain-ing tbe heat In the soil as a thick mulch. The results of the recent soil temperature studies at the Kansas station support this statement. A deep soil mulch Is not neceNsary for conserving the soil moisture esrly In the spring, when Ihe air Is moist and the weather relatively cool: hence tbe plan to cultivate rather shallow early In the spring and Increase tho depth of cultivation as the season advances, ad-vances, because late In the season, during the hot, dry days of July and August, the soil will dry rapidly, and a deeper soil mulch Is required to conserve the moisture and prevent the surface from becoming too hot. My recommendation and practice Is to cultivate rather shallow early In the spring, increasing the depth of the cultivation as tho season advances. At the hint cultivation when the corn Is laid by It should be cultivated as deeply as possible without destroying the main lateral roots of the corn. These Ho usually about four inches below the surface, midway between the rows In surf a ee planted corn. The corn roots gradually approach the surface near the root stock, which, requires that surface-planted corn should not be cultivated too close to thn hill at the last cultivation. From the study of corn roots made at the Kansas experiment station It appears that the rootg of lifted corn He deeper In the soli than the roots of surface-planted surface-planted corn. |
