Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1865-11-23
A9tifmltntal.
Fall Flowing.

There are many farmers at this day who
deem fall blowing improbable cultivation.
They prefer to turn over the soil in the
spring when it has become sufficiently dry,
and put the seed into it while it is mellow
and fresh. They argue that it is injurious
to expose the ground by plowing, to the
rains and SHOWS Of winter, and that it be-
comes too much compacted to be i'll good
condition for a seed bed Moreover, it is
more work, on the whole, to put in crop !;
for the extra amount of cultivation and har-
rowing required by fall-plowed field above
that of spring-plowed one, to get 1t as
mellow and fine, is considerable. Then 1t
is denied that there is not much time gained
in the spring, for one who can plow land
wetter, with less injury, than he can har-
row it
We believe, however, that there are very
decided advantages in fall plowing and
that it is fact that, on an average, better
crops are obtained on fall-plowed land than
on spring-plowed exclusively. We say ex-
clusively, because while fall-plOwed land
gains some of the advantages of spring
working, spriDg-plowed receives none OF
the fall cultivation Here, then, is one ap-
parent benefit if there is more cultivation,
there is better condition.
The cultivation for spring crop, which
commences with fall blowing, might be
termed winter following. 1t differs from
summer following in that, as no weeds will
grow in winter, therefore, we destroy none.
But, then, we need not word; the frost-king
drives his glittering plow through the
lumpy earth and it crumbles like dry ashes
in the furrow. He cultivates and harrows,
rolls and subsoils. He demands neither
money nor food. He does his powerful
work unheard and unseen. Sometimes, in
the calmness of a winter night when the
full moon and the starry hosts jewel the
sky and again, when the wrath of the
storm smites the earth We may sit by the
fire and be comfortable, and our horses
grow fat and gamesome in the stable.
But argues one, all this will be done if
we do not fall-plow the ground will freeze
the same" So it will But freezing will
not have the same effect That part of the
soil destined to receive the seed is not pull
verized and air-slacked neither is it ex.
posed to the rain and snow which expos
ure, we think, is benefit and not an injury
Why should it be an injury? If it is det
rimental to plowed land, it is so, likewise
to that which is unplowed, only to a lesser
degree. Does nature, operating in this
way persistently, regularly for half the
year, work injury to the soil The rail-
and the snow hold in solution much enrich
ing substance and most of it is impaired tC
the land Taken in connection with the
operation of the frost, the SHOWS and rains
of winter are of great benefit to the land
and the most benefit can be gained wheI
the soil is turned over in the fall, and left
III the furrOw so as to expose the greatest
amount of surface to the action of the ele
mcnts.
But in the spring you have to do about
as much work to put in the crop, as though
you had done nothing in the fall Not
quite ! 1t requires good and thorough sur
face tillage, and that is all. 4 gang plow
or a large cultivator, with the harrow ant
roller fits an admirable seed bed. 1t is not
at all necessary to plow again. If tho
work has been well done in the autumn
under ordinary circumstances, we shoulC
by all means prefer not to plow again il
the spring. Have two or three inches OF
mellow, freshly turned soil, and that under
meath will be left sufficiently loose by the
frost for the roots of the plants.
Fall blowing, also, helps to kill weeds
Canada thistlcs are not invigorated by hav
ing their roots on the top OF the grounC
during the winter But the chief benefit
III this direction, would be derived from
plowing early enough to letred-root, cookie
and weeds that infest wheat, sprout in the
fall, and then the spring cultivation wouIt
destroy them In the meantime, we advise
farmers to fall-plow as much as possible
Other things being equal we think the
man who gets the most plowed in the au
tumn, has the satisfaction of feeling, wheI
the spring comes, that he has his work best
in hand-RUral Ne1r YORKER