Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1878-11-07

in it,
ELEMENTA2Y FORCES IN AGRICULTURE.
One Of the most potent means for fitting
the soil in the best manner for the germina-
ton of the seed and subsequent cultivation
will be found in thorough tall blowing. 10
reach the best results, however, the land
should be either naturally or artificially
drained; for a soil saturated with water CAN
not be thoroughly acted upon by frost,
neither can it be fertile There are compar-
atively few soils Of our prairie region in
their natural state, but at some seasons are
fully saturated with water. During this
period Of saturation nothing but aquatic
plants can grow. and but few aquatic plants
produce valuable human food. None Of
them in the north Whenever water will
stand thirty-siX hours IN a hole dug two
teeU depth, that soil is unfit tor cultiva-
ton. How much OF the soil in given sect
ion of country is i'll such condition! The
cum will be found to be more than half the
area of the country. 70 reach the best re-
suits, therefore, in tillage draining must be
done. We do not intend to touch this branch
of agricultural art here. We have already
in the past written enough on this subject to
fill large volume. Suffice it 70 say that in
nine caset out of ten very simple surface
drainage would pay twenty times its cost
each season. This subject we shall only
treat casually in connection with fall plow-
ing.
There is, perhaps. as much antagonism to
/ fall ploWing among farmers. as there Is TO
book farming; and, curiously enough it Is
neglected by the very class who sneer al
book farmers. AS those who read the Dettel
class Of our agricultural Journals are called
Not that many of this class do not take al
agricultural paper Of some sort. 'Ihe paper
however, which gets their money, IS ina
which gives the biggest chrome, OF 10 lh'
agent who works hardest for the bull calves
the diamond rings, the pieces OK piate ah'
other. lottery articles awarded. Inc lev
who select their reading, whether book 0
newspaper. tor its intrinsic value, are IN
progressive one who are not afrald G
science. They are also those who make u
most money. They profit by what the
find new aud true. The non-readlng farme
generally has an antagonism to fail ploWine
} If he blows at al it Is that he may SOW
: piece of wheat or rye, and generally he
t very careful to wait until he wants to so"
{ for fear the weeds will scamp his crop. Ii
/ better farmer is quite willing to ploW n
e band ~ early rs possible that the SEEDS
weeds may indeed start, only to be kilieo
7 the careful, preparation of the soh befol
y sowing. SO the farmer who does not
5 lieve ia new ways. # he plows in the autumn
5 for spring seeding waits until the last 'iilt
a for tear the soil will get hard. Inc oeet'
S cultured farmer plows all through the la
It summer and autumn, whenever other "of
s does not press him, well knowing that eVel
IS fnrrow turned is work well put III, even
K he lightly replow some porhoh III
IS snripp. A field once finished, he fanos Whe
e the water will be apt to stand, anu o'e
e turrnws from thence along the line OF ca
; ast descent TO natural waterways. In u
l, snring while the chrome newspaper reao
Il is waiting and lamentlng that his iaFm "
II never dry off, the other man VINO ui.o
le stands his business tinds his SOIL dry ana
IS able. homogeneous in IFS character I"
IN ready for seeding TO small grain er fep'o