II. What meaning have the following word combinations in the text?

Successful maize cultivation, "drying out", very light sandy soils, medium textured soils, removing excess of soil moisture, free draining, Maximum yields, moderately acid soils, deeper ploughing, to obtain maximum growth, Autumn ploughing, weed control.

III. The following sentences have mistakes. Correct them.

1. When the average t° is over 60 F the emergence of maize will take approximately two weeks.

2. Culti­vations, which follow should be to a depth of 2-3 inches.

3. One should remember that germination is not much retarded by fertilizers in contact with the seed.

4. The soil should be naturally free draining to enable a full rooting sys­tem to develop in a plentiful supply of the nitrogen.

5. Successful maize cultivation is more frequently and more easily achieved on soils, which are of high texture.

6. Maximum yields are believed to be obtained between pH 2 and 6.

7. Autumn ploughing is advisable on lighter soils and it may be left until the early spring when textures are strong.

8. Under warm conditions seeds rot.

IV. Look back at the text and choose the correct words to go together.

They kill the weeds behind/after germination

it is much retarded with/by fertilizers

should be applied to/on the land

to be obtained among/between pH 4 and 9

on/in soils

without/throughout the world

to develop out/in a plentiful supply of oxygen.

over/under alka­line conditions

it would be lost with/by leaching.

it may be left to/until the early spring

V. Translate this text using the dictionary for 20 minutes.

Maize Root System

Maize root system contains no tap­root, and its feathery strands spread out in all directions, mainly in the topsoil.

In most varieties the form of the root system is characteristic. The four seminal roots may perhaps persist throughout the life of the plant, but the main adventitious fibrous system, developed from the lower nodes of the stem below ground level, spreads out in a lateral direction in the upper layers of the soil, after which the roots turn vertically downwards and tap the lower levels of the soil.

The extent to which the roots penetrate to the deeper layers depends largely upon the supply of nutrients and on the drainage of the topsoil and subsoil. In soil, which is rich in nutrients, the roots are comparatively strong and branch out in all directions. In dry soil they grow longer and in damp soil weaker.

VI. Read the following text using the dictionary and answer the question: “Why is it so important to put fertilizer in maize seed-beds?”

Almost without exception, wherever efforts are made to raise agricultural efficiency and production for an expanding population, more fertilizers and manures are needed. The benefits to be derived from greater use of fertilizers and manures have been demonstrated in many countries.

According to American writers, the Indian maize growers of earlier times used large quantities of fish caught ascending the streams in the spring as manure in maize cultivation. Later, ashes and slaughterhouse wastes also were applied to arable land. Farmers ob­served that crops made excellent growth where these wastes had been distributed. "The Complete Farmer," 2nd edition, of the year 1769, said of maize growing: "The English in North America plough the ground thoroughly before the grain is planted. They seldom, if ever, dung the whole face of the field but sometimes put a little dung in each hill of corn, if they think the ground requires it. Where fish are plenty, in the planting season, they put two or three small fish into each hill, with the grain." It is not unreasonable to suppose that the English settlers adopted this practice from the Indians as well as the maize crop itself.