White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1871-10-12
for the farmer.


R0u flowing goe 0D31n8 Deeoeo9s
Much injury is done to heavy. clays and loan
by plowing while too wet; much less in the fall
of course, than in the spring. Then, blowing
while too wet il almost fatal to the erur There IL
more money lost by Western farmers on worn
lands by spring blowing while too wet, than nom
any other cause; and land is always too net when
it will not Immediately crumble and become fine
again between the fingers after having been
squeezed in the hand.
We have seen many farmers blowing their land
in the fall, when the water would show, and In
some cases follow in the spring. The first il a
very injudicous practice; the last simply an out
rage on nature. 1t istrue that in sod and before
the sod becomes rotten, the danger is not 50 great
but the evil is there, only in less degree. Land
never plowed except when dry will remain intact
for years; ono blowing while wet, will ruin it to
such degree that years of labor will not bring it
back to its normal condition. But few farmers al
WAYS have their fields in soft, porous, friable
condition. The many fields are lumpy, and, in 20
far Q: this prevails cons. qnently unfertile. The
principal cause is blowing while it 10 wet. This
applies to the strong loans and clays-Our rich
prairie soils Those sufficiently sandy are always
fiable, because never too wet. During the au-
tumn our prairie soils are generally in condition
for blowing. If carefully p1owed, left rough, and
with sufficient dead furrows to carry of surplus
water, our loans and clays will come into condi-
ton for seeding from week to ten days earlier
in the spring than land left unplowed. and if not
touched until it is in condition, will usually be fit
for the seed without replowing. This is even true
if corn is to be planted thereon, and if it need
blowing, the land may be sufficiently stirred to
ensure good filth with any of the good five share
walking cultivators. If there are any who do not
believe that it is bad practice to plow land even
in the fall. when wet, let them plOw portion
while in this condition, and other land when dry
Powesl just before frost comes the difference will
not he SO apparent, because ut this season. the
being low, has not 50 great action upon it as to
canse it to bake, or rather it is frozen mp while
still wet, aud the expansive power Of the frost
upOn the water in the soil causes it to break and
crumble 1t is sometimes pretty nice matter to
determine what soils are, and what soils are not,
better for fall blowing, but as rule all clays and
loans are better for it, if they are to be sown to
any Of the small grains in the spring. For all
crops, it is better if you lightly replow in the
spring. 1t has been truly said that drouth scares
the farmer, but that water destroys his hopes.
This is true in more sense than one. If the spring
be wet and unproptious, it will certainly netura-
lie the beneficial effects, in degree of fall
blowing. But if plowed while dry in the fall, one
can feel better to wait for the land to come into
condition, than he who leaves all to the spring.
Therefore, plow in the fall, the more the better,
but never when wet