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Cultivation Of Plants

Categories: TILLAGE

If a soil would remain mellow throughout the

season, there usually would be no reason to disturb the roots of plants

by any deep stirring, and all tillage would be only deep enough to make

a mulch of earth for the retention of moisture and to destroy all

weeds. Soils containing enough clay to make them retentive of moisture

become too compact when rains beat upon the ground, as usually happens

after the planting of spring crops. A deep and close cultivation of

corn and potato plants after they appear in the row helps to restore

the condition created by the plow and harrow, and often is the best

practice. There is some sacrifice of roots, but the gain far exceeds

the loss. It may be necessary to give a second such cultivation when a

clay soil is deficient in organic matter, but the root-pruning is a

handicap.



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