Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-11-02
Fall Following.

1t is now becoming understood that it is
of great importance to the agriculturist to
manipulate the soil as much as possible
| This is not done merely in order to render
it more smooth, level and tillable, but also
to expose the particles Of which the soil is
composed to the ameliorating influence OF
the atmosphere. This both integrates the
soil and assists the decomposition of the
mineral elements of plant food it contains,
by bringing them in contact with oxygen.
Added to this is the susceptibility of the
soil to absorb ammonia from the atmos-
phere and the rains and snow falling upon
it, which, if not taken in at once when
presented, soon again evaporates. The
frosts and SHOWS of our winter seasons are
to great extent storehouses of plant food.
Such is theory. Now for practice.
In my own experience [ have always
found that land intended to be sown with
spring grain is certain to yield heavier
crops and of better quality if it has been
we'll plowed the previous fall and left in
the rough state exposed to the frosts of
winter. The same thing accords with my
observations, and has been especially ex-
emplifed this season. | have on many
occasions noticed adjoining fields or ad-
joining farms, the crops on which material
ly differed IN appearance and yield, al
though the soil and rotation followed have
been almost alike, and on making inquiry
found that on those fields carrying the
best crops the land had been plowed in
the fall, while the others had not.
Another advantage is gained by fall
blowing, that is not to be overlooked, and
that is that the land so worked is always
the first to become warm and dry in early
spring, which is due to its being more alb
sorbent. This enables the seed to be
sown earlier and the young plant to gain
a strong foothold and more vigorous
growth before the dry weather comes, than
it can do on land that has remained in a
compact and solid state all winter for
want of having been fall plowed. This
is especially the case with barley, which,
unless it can grow on land so well titled
as to give a deep and mello seed bed,
and the braird comes well forward before
the now usually prevalent dry weather of
May comes on, is almost sure to suffer
greatly. For spring wheat, which rather
likes a more compact soil, the use of a
good two horse cultivator in spring, to
prepare the seed-bed after fall blowing, is
more general, and saves both time and
labor at a season that is usually both
short and busy one.
There still remains another advantage
to be gained by fall blowing, especially
on bare stubbles and land that has borne
crops that are more or less liable to the
attacks of insect enemies. Most insects
that prey upon our field crops are kept in
existence and their numbers increased
from year to year through their larvae
burying themselves in the earth a short
distance from the surface, and there either
ALTERNATING or assuming the pupa state.
In either case they are protected from the
changes of temperature to which they |
would succumb if exposed above or very
near the surface the occasional warm
followed by severe cold being
more fatal to insect life than actual freez-
ing. Fall blowing, done after these
pests have entered the soil, will usually |
turn them up to the surface and being I'M
able in the state they are in to re enter
the earth, their life goes out of them.
NJ. in Country Gat2amea.
London, Ontario, Sept. lG.