Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-11-19
Fall Flowing.

Az discussion OF iali plowlng ~ the
Elmira, N. Y, farmers club, reported in
the Advertiser, President Hoffman said, on
all clay lands, or those bordering on clay, il
is proper, making saving of the spring
work. Lands may be plowed much Wetter
without injury in the fall thaH in spring.
Loose, gravelly soils are injured by fall
blowing. asr...
Mr. Armstrong stated that the gain in time
by fall plowing is slight. compared to other
benefits sometimes derived. He had lot
cold. wet clay--where there was never q
good sod He plowed IL very deep in the
fall, laid fallow next year. until time to SOW
wheat, and made good catch of grass for
the FIRST time, and has a good sod now.
Seely P. Chapman said, we plow great
deal too much in the fall. His land is clay
and after great deal of experience in fall
plowiug. he thinks it makes the land hard,
and spreads the Canada thistles, If any exist,
and makes the land unprOductive. He would
recommend that we work less land, and do
the plOwing in the spring.
President Hoffman stated that he had a
held of eight acres, moist, and inclined to
clay. He plowed it early in November,
1874. Last spring, when the frost was out
two or three inches in depth, he sowed oats
and grass seed, 1t froze up solid after that,
but he had fine crop of oats, ripe early,
and an excellent catch of grass.
L. T. Vaughn said be had plowed q great
deal in the fall, and sometimes plowed half
lot and left the rest until spring. Iu some
seasons the crop is best on fall-plowed land /;
sthers just the reverse, and ho believes fall
plowing hurts the land.
Us. Van Duzsr inquired if the spring
plOwed crops which we're better were on land
that had been fall-plowed previously for
years
Mr. Vaughn replied that all his lands had
been often all.plOwed. His belief is that
repeated freezing of land laid up light by
the pillow is injurious. Clay land settles
down 30 hard that Il Is as much work TO
loosen it up in the spring as to plOw it over
again.
A. D. Mills thinks land should be as dry
for fall blowing as in the spring. Much
injury is done the soil by plOWipg it in the
fall when too wet.
W. A. Armstrong is Of the opinion that il
the soil is drained, or properly deepeued SC
as to effect drainage, fall plowing will work
we'll. There is no agency so potent as frost
for lOOsening tight, heavy soils. When only
few inches OF the surface soil is used, and
plowed when it is SO wet it will almost float
away, it is no wonder it settles back hard
1t is the manner, not the time, which work.
the injury. 1t is good to plOw thistleS undel
in the fall (though do not think it will xii
thsm), and again in the spring.
Mr. Vaughn believes fall blowing help
thistles grow.
G. S, Mccain said his crops (corn, pota
toes and oats) where he plOwed in the fall
and again last spring, started earlier thai
those on land only plowed in spring, but a
harvest they had no advantage, and the COR
was moro Weedy.
President Hoffman said that treatmen
which killed thistles at one time at Anothe
had no effect on them. Such is his expert
ence. Weeds, as well as crops, start Garlic
on fall.plOwed land. Straw grows sitter o
f fall-plOWed land.
, l.. S. Smith is satisfied by many years O1
perieuce that iall-plOwiDg is attended b
many advantages In 1865 l fall-plowed
lot which was very wet and uuprOmsinI
, being told that | lost my chances Of
, crop. The burrows were left rough ov'
! winter. In April, when only few inch'
, was thawed cut l SOW ed oats, harroWiu
three times, and harvested ninety-six bushe
/ to the acre.
s, T. Everett thinks fall plowing destroy
D wire worms. Has less weeds, as a rule, {
fall plowed land. ........
The farmers Of Elmira appear to sg'
upon this subject as we'll as farmers do {
+" any question which may be presented.