The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1865-11-24
fauRl lnd AuMseLold.


There arc many farmers at this day who
deem fall blowing Improbable cultivation
They prefer to turn over the soil IN The
epring when il has become sufficiently dry
and put the seod into Il while it is mellow
and fresh. they arguo that II is injurious
10 expose the ground, by plowing, 10 the
rains and SHOWS Of winter, and that IL be.
comes too much compaoted 20 bc in good
coulition for seed bed. Moreover, IL is
moro work, on tho whole 60 pnt In a crop;
for the extra amount of cultivation and harr
rowing required by fallplowcd heldabove
that Of spring. .plowed QUE, to get 1t as mel
low and fine, is considerable. Then it 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 mar
row il.
We believe, however. that there arc very
decided advantages in fall blowing; and that
il is a fnut that on an average. botter crops
are obtained on fall-plowed land than on
spring plowed exclusively, We say exclu'
sively, because whilsfall.rlowe lmd gaius
some Of tho Advantages OF a spring working,
spring.plowed receives mono of the tall cullt'
walton. Here, then, is one apparent bene'
hn II there is niore cultivation, there is
better condition.
Tho cultivation for a spring crop, which
commences with fall blowing, might be
termed winter failowing. 1t differs from
summer following IN that, as no weeds viii
grow in wintor, therefore, wo destroy none,
But then, we need not work; the frost king
drives his glittering plow through the
lumpy earth aud It crumblcs like dry ashes
an thu fnrrow. lie cultivates and harrows,
rolls and subsoils. lIo demands neither
money nor food. lie does his powerful
work uuheard aud unseen. Sometime, in
tho calmness Of winter night when the
full moon and the starry hosts Jewel the sky
vi again, when the wrath of the storm
smites the earth. Wa may sit by the fire
and be comfortable, aud our horses grow
fat and gamesome in the stable. "But" ar
CUES one, "al this will bo d0uo il you do
not fallplow; tho ground will freeze the
same" SO /. will But freezing will not
have the same effect. That part Of the soil
destined TO receive The seed is not pulvcr.
lied and air-sleked; neither is it exposed to
the rain and SHOW! which exposure, we
think, is benefit aud not an injury, why
should il be an injury 7 IL is detrimental
Co plowed land, Il is SO, Likewise, to that
whi2h is uupowod, only TO a lesser degree.
Does Nature, operating in this way, persis-
tently regularly for half tho year, work
injury to the soil Tho rain and the snow
hold in solution much enrching substance,
and most Of it is impaired TO the land.
Taken in connection with the operation Of
the frost, the SHOWS and raiLs OF winter are
Of great benefit 10 the land, aud tho most
benefit can DO gained when the soil is
turned over in the fall, and left in the fur
row so as to expose tho greatest amount OF
surface to the action of the elements.
Bat in the spring you have to do about
asuiuch work to put Ia tho crop, as though
you had doue nothing IN the fallY Not
quite! 1t requires good aud thorough sur
face tillage, and that il all. A gang plow,
or q large oultivator, with the harrow and
roller fits an admirable seed bed. It ia not
at all necessary to plow again. Ii tho work
has been we'll done in the autumn, under
ordinary circumstances, We should by all
means prefer not TO plow again in the
spring. Have two or three incho3 of mel
low, freshly turned soil, and that underneath
will be left sufficiently loose by the frost
for the roots of the plants.
Fall blowing, also, helps TO kill weeds,
canada thistles are not inyigorated 10y hav.-
ing their roots ON tho top of the ground
during the winter. But the chief benefit, in
this direction. would be derived from plow-
ing early enough to let red.root, cocklo. and
weeds that iniest whoa, sprout in the fall,
and then the spring cultivation would de-
stroy them. la the meantime, we advise
farmers TO laiLpiow as much as possible,
Other thiwgs being equal, wo think the man
who gets the most plowod in the autumn,
has tho satisfaction of feeling, when the
spring comes, that he has his work best Ia
hand.--Rwal NeU Yorker