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.