Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1862-10-24
A G RICUL T URAL
Plowing-FalI or Spring.

This question is discussed everv
year, yet remains more or less unset.
tied. We do not now expect to dis
pose of it efectually, but simply to
suggest a few hints worthy Of consid
Grafton.
No one can deny that fall plowiug
saves time for other work in the busy
season Of Spring. Moreover, the soil
is drier in Fall than in Spring, and
is in a better condition for working.
He who has waited week after week
for the spring rains to pass over and
the ground to settle, will feel the force
Of this consideration. Again, if
piece of land is infested with grubs or
other vermin, or with the roots of
weeds, there is hardly better way to
subdue these pests than by throwing
them up to the surface just before the
winter frosts set in. GrasshOppers,
the midge, and weevil, cannot thrive
much after turning their houses tOpsy
turvey in October and November
They cannot rebuild in Winter, and
many OF them will'be Killed outright.
For light, sandy soil, apt to blow
about in open Winters, or those which
are quite gravelly and porous, we ques-
ton the eHpcdiency of fall-plowing.
But for stiff clays, which need the ac-
tion of frost to pulverize them, this
is the best treatment they can receive.
A friend in Wisconsin writes US,
that in all his region the farmers do
as much fall-plowing as they can, fin
iShing up the balance in Spring
That then, they SOW and harrow all
together at the same time, and that
in Summer no one can see any differ
ence between the growth and yield of
the several fields; at harvest time, per-
haps, the spring-plowel land is moro
mellow than the fall-plowed, but the
grain is worse lodged. \ correspOn-
dent Of a western Journal claims that
for spring wheat and barley, fall
blowing is MUCH preferable. He
thinks that spring wheat grown on
fall-plowed land, yields a better and
surer crop than winter wheat sown
in October. The exposure to atmos-
pheric influences during the Winter,
mellows and enriches the seed bed TO
such degree, that whenever the grain
is sown. it has the elements which it
needs at hand ready for assimilation
-. The soil newly turned up. has
first to be prepared or mellOwed, OH
died. as the chemist would call it,
before it becomes fit to
Weld nouris hment; and
while this process is going on lin
Spring.) much precious time is lost,
and the growth of the plant is abbre-
waited in proportion, its time for till
ering is cut short and the yield cam
not he as large as when it has the
whole length Of the season which ma
ture seems to have set apart as that
in which the plants shall make stems
and leaves, previous to the formation
OF the seed-vessels." ="
This certainly can be said in favor Of
the fall plowing OF sward land in tend.
ed for corn. il it is done IN Autumn,
the sod becomes partially rotted be-
fore the time comes for planting, and
so is sooner prepared te act as fer
tilizer for the crop. than it would
have been il plowcd in the Spring.
If ever the plant wants the food Of
the decaycd sod, it is carly in the sea-.
son, to give ii aquick aud vigorous
start.
Late planting is Il Ge1pen' ragsc ol
the failure of crops. After Hey are
got into the ground, drou!a ottcn
sets in which retards the gc,laination
of the seed. We plant latc tecanso
cold rains put Us back, and hecause
Of the pressure 90 dthor work. Now,
! If VIC should do Gtuch OF our blowing
in the Fall, we could take advantage
1 of the first favorable weather TO get
our seeds in, and 50 gain considerable
time in their growth. If wepostpone
all our plowing until Spring, we often
/ DO Tie work when the land is too wet
| The consequence is that it becomes
lumpy and stia haked-a condition
unfaIorable for The growth OF any
crop, and from Which the land does
not fully recover in season or two