VOL. LXIV
INDIANAPOLIS, NOVEMBER 6, 1909.
NO. 44
Root Systems of Field Crops.
Editors  Indiana   Farmer:
The root systems of our cultivated
lilants bear a most important relation
to the cultivation of the crops, the application of fertilizers, and the moisture
content of the soil; and in order to understand fully the reasons for the different cultural practices it is really
necessary to know to what extent and
in what way the roots of the various
crops develop. That the development
of the root systems of our common
cereal and forage crops is not so well
understood as might be supposed is
alemonstrated by the fact that samples
of plants prepared with a view to show-
the lateral as well as the downward
extension of the entire root system in
its natural position always arouse great
interest in observers of all classes, and
even cause surprise to persons who
have spent their whole lives upon the
farm, and in many cases growing these
very crops year after year. Such samples, prepared by various experiment
-dations, have in every instance proved
to be most instructive object lessons.
Corn Root System.
At the Wisconsin Station samples of
■ rn taken 42 days after planting, when
the tops were about 18 inches high,
showed that the roots of two hills met
ind passed each other in the center of
rows 3 y_. feet apart, and had penetrated the soil to a depth of about 18
inches. At the time of the last cultivation, when the corn was nearly three
feet high, the roots were found to oc-
i upy the entire soil down to a depth of
■ibout two feet, a third sample taken
when the eorn was coming into full tassel showed that the roots had fully oc-
i upied the upper three feet of soil in
the entire field. At maturity the roots
extended fully four feet into the soil
iind the upper laterals were within four
inches of the top of the ground.
Experiments made at the various
stations indicate that, by cultivating
deeply, the large lateral roots of corn
lying at a depth of four inches midway
'•'tween the rows are likely to be
oroken. It is believed that, as roots
of listed corn He deeper, corn planted
l>y this method may be cultivated close
to the hill and three to four inches
deep at the last cultivation without injury to the roots, while in level-planted corn, the roots rising nearly to the
mirface several inches from the hill
are destroyed by close cultivation. Deep
cultivation for the purpose of forming
a thick soil mulch is considered necessary, however, for the last cultivation
of corn in hot and dry climates.
Roots of Small Grains.
Wheat roots examined 110 days after
sowing the seed at the North Dakota
Station were found to extend directly
downward, sending out numerous small
feeders which practically occupied the
soil to a depth of four feet. Later experiments with durum and bread wheat
showed roots to a depth of more than
four leet, and again showed that the
system of rooting is vertical instead of
'ateral,   as   in    corn. The   root  sys
tem of oats was found to be similar
to that of wheat, but the roots were
longer and more numerous and extended fully as deep into the ground. A
"ample of winter rye taken July 7
showed that the roots had reached a
depth of only three feet, and that their
development was smaller than in other
samples of cereals generally.
Root Systems of Grasses.
The North Dakota Station also examined the roots of one and two year
old plants of Bromus inermis and found
of potatoes at the North Dakota Station showed that the main portion of
the root growth of this plant is shallow. Forty-three days after planting
the principal part of the root development was found to lie within eight inches    of    the    surface   of the ground.
A WELL  KEPT  DE KALB COUNTY ROAD.
and generally reach deeper into the soil
than the cultivated crops.       G. E. M.
The grass and weeds are kept   down   by use  of the mower.
that at one year old the roots had attained a depth of over four feet and
formed a good sod, while the roots of
the two-year-old grass had reached a
depth of at least 5 y_, feet. The Kansas Station also found that the largest
growth of fibrous roots in the surface
soil was made by the perennial grasses
as compared with cereal and other
crops, and that certain species also extended their roots deeper into the soil
than any other class of crops, except
perennial leguminous plants.
Legumes.
The Kansas Station found that alfalfa was the deepest rooted plant under observation. The plant developed only a small growth of fibrous roots
near the surface, the principal root
development being deeper in the soil.
Cowpeas and soy beans appeared to be
light-rooting crops. At     the     North
Dakota Station the roots of red clover
during two years of development grew
down over four feet and quite fully occupied the upper three feet of soil.
Crimson clover roots in a single season
attained a depth of three feet by August 22.
Potatoes.
Samples of an early and later variety
The lateral roots had extended from
hill to hill and interlaced. Some of
the principal lateral roots were found
to be only 2 % inches from the surface
at six inches from the hill. This root
development indicates the necessity of
shallow cultivation of the crop, and this
was confirmed in experiments with
deep and shallow cultivation, the results showing a decided advantage for
the shallow cultivation of potatoes un-
hilled. It was also shown that late
potatoes root more freely and more
deeply than early ones, and as a result will not stand as close planting as
early vareities. When  the  hills are
about three feet apart each way the
soil is very fully occupied by the roots
to a depth of three feet.
This study of the roots of plants
gives a clearer idea of the proper method of preparing and cultivating the soil
for the different field crops. In general, root systems of crops like corn,
potatoes, beets beans, etc., reach from
row to row and near the surface and
hence should be given shallow cultivation, tho beets may be cultivated deeper than the other crops mentioned. The
roots of cereals, grasses, clovers and alfalfa  grow    more   directly    downward
Playgrounds for Country Children.
Editors  Indiana Farmer:
That country children should have as
good, (that is as useful) an education
as those in town, goes without saying.
But is it wise to push the mental powers at the expense of the physical? For
the body it is that supplies the force
that the brain needs. An observant
experience of a good many years shows
how many young people who have
done extra well at their school and college examinations, seem to have used
up their energy before the actual life-
work has begun. They droop, and
the promise of their early years is
never fulfilled. It was doubtless this
kind of observation that started Professor Myron Scudder of New Jersey,
on his search after some corrective influence. He finds this in muscular exercise. But muscular exercise without the spirit of enthusiastic
play, and the good-natured rivalry of
the game, would not result in much.
This concerted play is largely found
in connection with our colleges. I
remember how in England no boy was
allowed to miss the ball games without
a doctor's certificate. In those days
football was mild and harmless, and
very different from the fashion of it
now.
I recal lthe remark of a thinking
young man to me. "Football as it used
to be is the greatest quietus that an
overwrought brain can have. Every
muscle of your body is alert, giving tho
tired brain a chance to gather fresh
strength from its rest, for its next effort."
But     the     country     children,—their
brains   have   surely   no   complaints   to
make.       There's a true old couplet:
"All work and no play,
Makes Jack a dull boy."
(In earlier England, the word play
was su pronounced, that it was a passable rhyme to boy.) The children on
th>' farm, expected to help with endless
little chores, grow dull from the very
monotony   of   the   thing. In   conse
quence of the constant mechanical
round their mental capacity needs
awakening and sharpening up. And
this, invigorating play with their lei.
low accomplishes. Just one set of muscles are called into use by farm chores,
while the others lie dormant. This is
seen when farming boys enter athletic
lists with city boys, they are not up
to the usual standard and summarily
fail.
But Professor Scudder has been the
means of bringing about a new state
of things in many of the Eastern and
Middle States. At the conferences,
young teachers were enthused in the
play-project for their scholars. Teachers and children together succeeded in
enticing the parents away frohi the old
ruts. School directors became interested, while the well-to-do friends are
helping with the extra eash required.
Professor Scudder expects great things
from the country playgrounds. That
it will raise the physical and moral
standard of the country youth; that it
will enkindle an increased love of
home-life, and decrease the emigration
to the towns, where the young man
from the farm meets often his down-
fa'l- L.ouisa A'hmuty Nash.
Nashville.  Oregon.