Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1872-10-23
agricultural.
Fall pIOUpIlinG.

In sections where spring crops are grown
to any considerable extent, TALL ploughinx j.
an important and very necessary part Of farm
work. All sprIug-sOwn crops are much bet
ter for early sowing, and there are few sea
sons when they wot Id not be the better for
being sown during the first week. after the
land is dry enough to work This in most
cases may be done if the land is well fitted
in the fall while to plough, fit and SOW the
same land IN the spring, may take nearly a
month And then, in nine cases out Of ten,
the first sown will give much better crops
than those last put in. Barley especially
should be sOwn carly; good farmers say that
If not sOwn early, it had better not be put in.
but the land be put some other crop
Spring wheat and oats are also very general
ly better when sOWn early.
And then, when crops can be sOWn early,
it gives work a good start, which may be
kept all through the season. II the sowing
is done early, there is more time to prepare
land and plant early also. Then, with early
sown and planted crops, harvest CONES carii-
er. and there is more time to get all the
work done and in good season. This also
gives time to plough and fit land for the next
season s crop.
Fall ploughing is more especially adapted
70 all Of the sandy and gra ely soils ana
loans, as all such lands are lcss liable 90 he
affected by good deal OF open, wet weather.
Retaining, in a great measure, the condition
IN which they are left by the plough, they
are easily brought to a fine filth in the
spring and soon made ready for the seed.
ln many cases, particularly where the snow
has remained Oh the land through the WIN
ter, or the winter and spring have been dry
the seed IL sown on the burrows and we'll
narrowed in. But there should always be a
hrp vuaIIfy CppN- kpN M l4rd shnnIf D..
only sown in the iurrCw where this can be
secured. Besides. it is very generally beet
to SOW On fresh or recently worked sOII, and
the harrow and wheel cuItivatOr or gang
plough should be used in the spring to bring
iall-ploughed land into good condition for
the seed
Clay soils are more difficult to manage IN
fall pl0ughing. Some are very largely ben
Gifted, and others as decidedly injured, in
this way much, Of course, depending on
the management. W hen snow covers the
land thI oEgh the winter, and the soil soon
dries off in the spring, little damage viii lie
done but an open, wet winter, and long
sIen Of wet weather in the sprug, leave
cay soils IN worse condition than they
would be If not ploUgbed IN the fall. Hay-
ing long been IN semI-mud or mortar state.
when good weather comes they dry down
To hard, baked, crusty condition, and are
difficult to subdue and make fine and mellow.
This II more especially the case on l-vel
lands, where the water cannot readily run
off; when not too wet and not :OWn too
smooth and close, clay lands may be largely
benefited by freezing IN the winter and ear
ly spring. Hence, plOughs that lay 1it iur-
rows shOulds not be used in tal.-I Coughing
such land, but burrows should be veil Tapped
well set up-sO as 10 expose q large Por
the IbFn Ia e..
chance for the water to run off each iurrOW,
ana If there are sufficient water burrows an
outlets, the soil may be made fine and mel
low by the frost Sward lands are best cal
culAted for this purpose, and are also IN r,
generally benefited by IalI plOugbiug wHeu
thus manageL
1t Is very important to get the water well
drained from clay lands that are laIl-plUugh
ed. 1t seldom does pl ughed land mucu
good u have water stand on II, bur IL II
more especially injurious TO clay soils Nor
should lt stand IN the iurroWz, and thus keep
the plUugbed soil saturated But the water
burrows and bitches, II tedei should be
made and located 50 as readily 10 take al
the water out Of the dead burrows and low
places IN the field. Indeed, iail-pl sughed
clayey lands should have tie water about d-
taken off as would be necessary
II they were sOwn L winter grain. linen
the land may not only lie benefited bg TIE
freezing, hut 1t viii be much sooner dry and
ready 10 work IN the spring. This gain o.
time IN tie spring Will very generally pay. .
in forwarding the work as well az ia ILL.,
creased crops, for all trouble in taxing II
the water. Indeed. it pays on all soils 60
get the land dry and ready to work as soon
as possible IN the spring. -GOIHtTV E.nhs-
man.