Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-07-25
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Farmers are busy trying to improve
the pleasant weather by doing as much
fall blowing as possible. 1t is Of great
Importance to farmers to accomplish as
much plovins lhthe fall u.s. possible.
The pssdt of thk hszt years crops yer,
often depends in a measure on having
the land plowed in the fall. Where the
farmer does no fan iplowing. ..sll the
work necessary to TT the soil for the
seed is crowded into few weeks IN the
spring. The soil is to be plowed, stumps
and roots dug, bushes grubbea and burn
ed. stones drawn of: and boulders sunk,
blasted or drawn off. Merely as a
matter of economy, it is well to do as
much blowing in the fall as possible.
The ground is dry, and team will
work to much better advantage than in
the spring, when the ground is usually
full Of water. In addition, spring US
|ually brings an abun dance of other
work that cannot be done in the fall,
therefore intelligent farmers should do
whatever work can well be done at that
season. The fall is the best time for
digging stones or stumps, because far
mers have more time.
= An argument land it is good one)
against fall blowing is that land plowed
in fall is not so good seed bed as when
it is plowed Immediately previous to
sowing. Seed requires mellow soil.
The argument had more weight with
our fathers than it need have with us.
With their inefficient harrow it was an
important job to prepare soil for the
seed. The Importance of "a suitable
preparation for seed can hardly be over
rated, and it was this fact that gave
these old-time farmers the impression
that spring blowing was the best.
With our improved pulyerizers it is no
object to pillow in spring. By blowing
in the fall, the soil receives the action
of the frost which is an important agent
IN plllyerizing It. and not only that, but
the land dries sooner, the seed may be
sowed sooner, and the farmer will have
more time in spring to attend to work
which he cannot do in the fall. 1t is
one object with farmers to get their
seed into the ground as early in the
spring as it will terminate. For the
past few years, which have been usually
dry, our best crops have been those
which have been put in early. Sow
either oats or barley late, and unless
June and July are more favorable to
growth than they are usually, the crop
will be poor.
A very good reason for doing as
much blowing in the fall as possible is
this-farmers should always attempt to
keep ahead of their work. Do not let
the work crowd You; do it as soon as it
can be done. If you can do all your
blowing in October and November, you
will not have to do it in the spring.
If you can do all your stumping and
drawing ofstones in the fall, you have
just so much less to do in spring.
Spring is one Of the busiest seasons of
the year. In the measure that we re-
ducc the labors Of this season, we in
crease the time for dong well that
which is left. All farmers cannot afford
to keep teams enough to do all the
work attendant upon seed sowing if it
is delayed until spring. Flowing, do it
well, is necessarily slow undertaking,
and it is work that should never be
sighted. Ali the reasons that have
weight with good farmers, urge them to
do their blowing in fall. But let it be
remembered that fall blowing needs a
more thorough preparation for seed than
land plowed in spring. Some soils are
so compact in spring that it is difficult
for seeds to obtain good root. With
suitable tools this is an easy matter and
no farmer should undertake to work
without suitable tools.-AmeTican Aori.
cuhurahSt.