To show the effect of cultivation on the yield of corn

To show the effect of cultivation on the yield of corn

EXERCISE

To show the effect of cultivation on the yield of corn, let the pupils lay off five plats in some convenient field. Each plat need consist of only two rows about twenty feet long. Treat each plat as follows:

Plat 1. No cultivation: let weeds grow.

Plat 2. Mulch with straw.

Plat 3. Shallow cultivation: not deeper than two inches and at least five times during the growing season.

Plat 4. Deep cultivation: at least four inches deep, so as to injure and tear out some of the roots (this is a common method).

Plat 5. Root-pruning: ten inches from the stalk and six inches deep, prune the roots with a long knife. Cultivate five times during the season.

Observe plats during the summer, and at husking-time note results.

Source: Agriculture for Beginners