I use a baking stone and slide my bread in onto it with a peel. Then
when I pull it out after resisting the urge to take a peak, it almost
always has cracked in a major way between the flat bottom of the crust
and the side of the loaf. I have a pan of hot water in the oven with
the bread and spray the sides of the oven a couple times in the first
few minutes. What could be the cause, too much heat? Is this because
of a too-dry loaf when it goes in? Would spraying water on the loaf
as it is proofing help?

--Keven.