The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1875-11-11
fnr the farmer.
FALL FLOWING.

What land to pillow, and how much, in the fall,
are questions that usually present themselves to
the farmer. There is something in discrIminst
ing here. 1t is known that clay land, when WEI,
is bad at any time to work. Ii is worst IN tne
spring or early summer. The sun then bakes ~
and makes it hard and sueh land cannot re', NJ
ly be reclaimed. The hurt shows for year.; =; =.
have known it to last for many years; 'n I
meadow and pasture as well as hhuei IN ~ a..
1t is therefore, considered best 10 ply - sy;I
fall, trusting TO the frost 10 COL Iis;n,i,y The
may result Here however, Is a dInc"i's
frost will not correct the erIUr, or Out " ~
paratiyely small extent. we haNe n : A.
such land to be hari-packed III tne spi''s, nc
feating the crop put upon W. liz, = oo,nmaa,
IL and the rains pelt IL atd make u cohPact.
WIZ ,I.,. ia little snow or ram, ana an abnll-
dance of alternating freeing anu tbawing, WIN
sometimes very low temperature, extending INTO
the nndersoil TO great depth, the case is diner-
emf Even then the hurt is not entirely remov-
al n the moving was a severe case Of vet, and
the clay largely prevalent.
Mncb good is done by the favorable condition
of the weather, as above indicated. But such
seasons i'm our more northern latitudes are rare,
and no reliance can he made on their occurrence.
The rule in the case is a simple one: avoid plOw
ing when wet. This, in almost any fall, can be
done, and get the land plOwed. Ii needs but an
improvement of the opportunity when the land
il in condition, taking the whole fall for your
chances. If September is too early, October is
not, and November sometimes presents the very
best weather. And then is the best time to pillow
the later the better, 50 that the land comes mp
comparatively dry.
We say comparatively dry This is the most
that can be expected; yet it is better to have it
quite dry-lumPy, if you please. 1t will be hard
work for the teams, it is true; but better add
the third horse. You then turn up your soil in
the condition il was before the pillow broke it up;
the mere turning it has not affected it-not pack
ed it F; it is too hard for that. But you have got
it up, and made il mark for the frost and the
elements, which now pour directly upon it from
all sides. Indeed, the first soaking rain or snow
thaw will put it in a condition TO crlmble at the
touch of the harrow, SO that in the spring you
can readily reduce it to good seed bed. Some
of our best crops have been raised in this way
one field in particular, we remember, which was
plowed dry in January, and yielded q splendid
crop in consequence, with the land in the finest
oftilth.
Sandy soil is subject to the same objections, as
it is supposed also to contain more or less clay
some at least-and this wants to be carefully
treated, as well in sandy loan as in clay proper.
But there is this advantage with a sandy or sha-
ley soil: its good drainage usually has it dry
enough for working; the moisture passes readily
of, which is not the with clay that requires
long spell of previous dry weather. 1t need not
be said now that drainage would greatly benefit
such soil. Land should generally be left by the
pillow as roughly as possible. A stiff sod, howev
er, wants to be well turned under, or grass will
De sure to interfere the season following In all
cases DO your work well.-COr. Indiana Farmer.