Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, W.T. [i.e. Wis.]) 1843-1844, 1843-06-17
1grfcuIturaI.
BREAKING PRAIRlE,
BY p. PRESCOTT.

cS wv uiOhe up dCitS Oh pIdlTle IN sept
ember, 1910. One acrel broke about inch.
es deep. The land laying in this state until
the spring of Al; the throws lay flat ON the
land that was blowed inches deep, and the
fur.ows of that which was plowed inches
deep stood nearly on an edge. Iplaned pota.
toes on three fourths of the acre that was broke
the deepest, from which 90, only 40 bushels;
the potatoes were of u fair size, of the English
4v.hilss. We had but little rain, which be-
liove to be the cause OF the failure OF the poia.
toes Three fourth of an acre narrowed with
a harrow that had wooden teeth. so as not to
turn the sod back again, and sowed one bushel
ofthe common pea, from which only harvest
ed three bushels OF peas; drought is supposed
to he the cause Of so great failure Three
fou:,hs of an acre narrowed the same as for
the peas, and sowed one bushel of barley, from
which got 10 bushels, being smully barley;
the drougb, is supposed to be the cause OF the
failure. Two acres ! worked the same as n
bove described and sowed four bushels OF
oats on the ground; the oats grew finely and
large, but the dry weather came on about the
time the grain was forming, and there was
more straw than any thing else. Ii the oats
had been well threshed | believe l should
have got 40 bushels; but they were ,hfeshed
on the ground by cattle, 80 believe | lost half;
| got 20 bushels Of oats. Two acres planted
with corn; the corn grew finely until it began
TO set for ears and silk, when my corn dried
up so that got only about 30 bushels. We
will bear in mind this is the first crop on top
Of the sod, and most unfavorable season Of
drought.
In the spring of 1912 ploughcd the ground
cross.wise, and could not perceive any differ
enee between that which was ploughed 8 inch
les deep and that which was ploughed A inch
les deep--.ihe sod was not entirely rotten yet
and the grass roots were yet strong and hard,
and IL was with difficulty that cross.p lowed
with a small plow, The sods ihrowning tho
pillow out every few rods. sowed my ground
liz oats, barley, peas, and corn again. aud some
onions. Tho drought injured my corn, barley
and peas, so got only half a crop; the oats
were very fine, but as fed one stack TO my
cattle without ,hreshing, | cannot say what
the yield was. My onions were very fine al
so.
In blowing this spring, | find the sod is
not yet entirely rotten, but l think it will do
for wheat, and sow most Of my land 10 spring
wheat.
AS to The depth ofbreaking, see no differ.
ence in that which was plowed 8 and that
which was powed inches deep, and shall
!
takes less team, and | cannot sec any differ
in the crop.
Oats grow the best for the first crop on tho
sod in this country. t
"By the sweat Of The brow gain your Bread
land may say with the sweat Of the brow
] have written this with bad pen.
Lake st. Croix, W.T., May 1, ls43.
The reader will notice, that this breaking
was done 10 Sepfember..-and that the sod is not
rotten yet; and we should presume, though
Mr.. Prescott does not mention IL, that IL is
weedy. Time is Of vastly more importance in
breaking prairie, than depth. For all pur-
poses except spring crop, breaking should
be done between The 20lh of May, and The first
OF July. We should never advise TO break for
spring crop, unless from absolute necessity.
Prairie broken in the proper season, will BIO
be mellow and free from weeds at once. We
have succeeded in raising splendid crop Of
winter wheat on land broken in June and
sowed ia September---wbile in repeated in
stances we have seen ground for years weody,
The sod undecayed, and but half productive,
from being broken out Of season.
We are greatly Obliged for this communion
lion, as il shows the results Of The mistake we
have pointed out. We have our opinion in re-
gard 10 the DEPTH; but the farmers differ. We
invite comparison Of facts, on that point. In
the mean time, we refer those curious about IL,
to a communication in our May No. signed
"Prairie Breaker."--- Prairie Farmer.
TINE OF CUTTING TmsEn.-..We have ex.
anined authorities on this point, quite at large,
aud find some division OF opinion on the sub
iec.. /. was thought, a few years ago, that
the winter was the only fl time 10 cut timber:
as the sap was supposed TO have left the ifee
al that season. Experiments which have been
made lately. tend to show, that the sap does
no, IN fact leave lhe tree TO such degree as
was supposed but tina, 10 collects in the heart
ofihet roe in cold weather, and returns 10 warm
weather to The albonum.
Now the role undoubtedly is, that the lin
Der Of particular kind Of wood all other
things being equs---will last the longest.
which can be seasoned the most perfectly, in
the quickest time. Hence, timber cut 10 the
winter, tho II may havn less sap than in sum
mer, cannot be seasoned as quickly And the
later doctrine is, that the time to cut timber
for all purposes is when the sap is flowing,
and the bark peels ffeely---as then it will sea-
son the quickest and mos, perfectly. II 1t can
not be cot then, 10 should be cut ia winter, as
the next best time
Experiments have beea made, which show
that timber will last much longer, by being
imprepna,ed with lime water, or weak solu-
ton of yBnIol.
Cbarrnp the buus Of posts will und6ubted-
Is protect them from decay. We refer those
inieresies 10 this. matter % page 90 Of vol l.,
and pages s. and II Of vol. ii, Of tho Union
Agricullansi.