Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-11-28
CORN LAND.
Shall It be Plowed in the Fall OF
Spring?

Corn in this section is usually
put upon sod turned down in the
spring mostly just before planting.
There are various reasons given for
this preference over fall blowing.
1t is thought there will be less weeds
and grass at first, owing to the fresh
ly turned up soil. The recent ac-
ton of the pillow, it is held, will
also loosen the ground for better
working of the roots and the admis-
sion of air. The rain is more read
lily absorbed and disappears under
the ground when recently plowed,
especially sod which leaves space
below. This is the view commonly
taken here; and the practice is a
successful one.
But there are those, Il few who
think fall blowing preferable. They
have bnt one answer-"better crops"
1t must be admitted that this is
very cogent reason if facts bear
them out. am acquainted with
one of these men, John j. Brookman
OF Minden, N. Y, and he is entitled
to respect and confidence; no one
will dispute his word. He has tried
corn on both fall and spring plow-
ing; practiced the two in the same
field and compared with his neigh
bors. This for quite q number of
years. He now plows all his corn
land (sod) in the fall. Says he gets
a mellower surface, Il quicker start,
and a continuous, healthy, vigorous
growth, and early ripening. There
is more grass; but as corn requires
considerable amount of working
of the soil it matters not SO much
whether there is moro or less, unless
in extreme cases, as, for instance,
where quack largely prevails.
l remember test made few
years ago, where nine acres of old
sod was turned down in May, about
the middle, and put to corn. The
yield per acre was eighty bushels of
sound corn. A neighbor had
shelled field also old sod adjoining.
He turned his down in the tall and
somnwhat early so that the grass
began to show before winter. When
the corn was planted, it was quite
grassy; the grass was quack. We
looked for a comparative failure.
The ground was very mellow and
also rich. The corn came readily
and grew at once-madc race with
the quack which it was impossible
to subdue. The hill was infested
with it; you could not remove it; so
it grew. But the corn Tin the deep
black soiD grew also; and it soon
shaded the quack, and finally occu-
pied the field, stunting toward the
last tn quack, and ripening the crop,
which was equalto the other. 1t must |
be confessed that this shook our
faith in spring blowing. And now
we have the testimony recorded |
above; land much the same, and in
The same neighborhood.
We have had experience of our
own. tits mostly with spring plow-
ing, and almost alwsys satisfactory.
The sod usually has been clover or |
clover and timothy. When not such
manure-in the hill.
This gave it start and an early,
'apid growth-never failing to do |!
his. But then, the strength Of the
manure being exhausted, or the corn
getting out OF its reach, there was a
check where there was a lack of I'M
Ter fertility. l found this was good
n spring blowing the rawness Of the
oil just turned up preventing
'eady start, which the manure rem
,died.
Where land is thoroughly drain
ID and is deep, rich and mellow,
ate fall blowing seems an advan-
age. There will be no packing to
njure it, the soil from its nature
lot permitting it; no grass has
'hance to start, and the seed bed,
rom the winter action, will be in
better condition. The crop will
start more readily. The sod also,
will be more thoroughly rotted b
he time the corn needs its supper
And if a pretty stiff sod, why ma
lot a clay soil be benefited by lat
IN the fall if the season vii
admit is dry enough? And it viii
'ften admit it then. as well as befcr|
Wet weather will some
lines put off blowing and henc'
to late day, SO late as t
'ndanger the ripening ofthe corr.
# plowed somewhat moist in the
all, the frost will in measure cure
he effect. Not so the sun which
ollows May blowing. Let the thing
oe fairly and fully tested and on diff
erant soils q "a, IYootor, R,/ |