The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1871-11-16
Ploughing Autumn and Spring.

Ploughing Autumn and Spring.
We ilo luently hear the question put, will
Ut pay to plough sward land in late autumn
Sometimes the inquiry is extended, and the
matter Of -ploughing the same in the
spring is referred to- / do not purpose to
law down a law for these things, or to con
vince all who may read yet q few words
to the thoughtful may not prove devoid of
interest.
1t will De evident thai circumstances will
very materially influence the result of pro-
Lit in autumn ploughing, and also that of
cross-p -ploughing an inverted sward in the
spring. Such is the general character of
the spring time. during which, we have
under preparation the land for the ensuing
seasons crops, that an excess OF moist
weather (and consequently wet SOLD exists,
50 tbat We have TO lose some ploughing
time; and this is especially so on lands not
well underdrained, or else everything thick
stratum OF gravel. BY autumn ploughing
the preparation can be greatly advanced.
and less hurry and more care given to what
is really necessary work at the time OF
planting. II, however, 4 cross ploughins
be praCtised instead Of the single plough
ing, the amount of preparatory work is not
diminished, and the question arises, does
the -ploughing tend to lessen the labor
of tillage required to develop the crop? |
hold this general principle to be sound and
lit TO govern our practice in the main-that
all possible cultivation anterior to planting
is done at q saving expense-because we
can do the same more readily when the
growing crop Is not in the way. For in
stance, he who, by the use of the plough
aud harrow, or other implement, destroys
the weeds or grass growing on the field ere
the crop is planted, can do SO at less ex-
pense of labor than if he wait for the crop
TO get start and then attempt it.
The argument may be presented that
cross ploughipg turns up no small quantity
Of sods that will readily grow, and especi-
ally if it should be rather moist weather
| have tried the various methods, and
found each to have some attendant disad-
vantages. and it is only by comparison of
these that the more profitable way can be
ascertained. If the working force a farm
er has at his disposal is rather limited, he
viii find it eXpedent to do as much plough
ing in the autumn as he is able; and if the
same is not done smoothly or thoroughly
sometimes impossI sIble-then by all means
cross-plough III the spring; for a roughly
turned sward left over winter will make no
small increase of labor necessary in the
cultivation OF the crop succeeding. | have
even plouohed another time after the cross
ploughing when the season was unfavor-
able to the early decay of the sward. and
have found the result very satisfactory.
But as sach system would involve an ey-
cess of labor over which thor. - , suh
staOtinl doubt as +o its General nrotit win
not urge it rs eXpedient.
have seen land tbat was nionnhed in
autumn become So n,rked dnwn Nv thf
,yling rains that If ,yas unfft r. nlantin1,
and vet was planted without 2 crost-nlnunI,
inn: tl.e result was bv no means satisf1r-
torv \ cross .pIouohino in his case ,z.nl,1d
make the. difference between a fojr nrofit
aud none nj all. Last snrino 7 chose ia
plant upon the inverted sod. ploughcd the
autumn before. without cross-nlouabjn1
for the reason of The soil seemino 50 tlne
and mellow on the surface, and tIe resn1t
was particularly satisfac+orv have seen
atc snrinr pl0uobino handled A. nicely
and the cr0p tended with onita as little ey-
pense as any other. vet As this cannot he
lone very generally I would not deem if
wise to adopt it as 4 system.
Ii is my conclusion, drawn from obserya-
.iou and experience. that autlmn nlonoh-
Ino js profitable. and thot cross.n16nghiIro
p the snrino is desirahla IN ,1onr cases r
not all. and tbaf ~ a svsten, If has odynn-
.aees over every other The monnre can