The Red Cloud chief., 1881-06-02
PlaMing In the Spring.


.sDo we piow too muchsh Vas the
question put by q Of u readers a
few weeks ago. who then proceeded TO
give his experience in the preparation
Of land for corn without blowing. on
which corn lad besn grown the year be-
fore. Another implement Was used.
and the results, as stated By our CORES
pondenI proved very satisfactory in
saving time and labor. and also IN the
outcome Of the crop. This experiment
is suggestive and no doubt arrested the
attention Of numerous readers, and il IS
not improbable that some Of them may
adopt the new departure" in the prep
arat on Of their land FOR the spring
crops.
The preparation Of the sod for the re-
~ception Of seed, is the most important
of all mechanical operations on the
farm. but the time, the desired depth.
and the manner If doing the work de-
pend upon various circumstances, 80
the kind of crop To which IL is intended
TO devote the land. the character Of the
soil. etc. There is no question bat that
the time and labor of plowiDg some
fields for aspiring crop. are unnecessary,
or in other words that ields which have
been well titled during the preceding
season may be put into good condition
for the reception of seed by the use OF
implements which greatly economic
time and toll. Bnf. of courSe this
method cannot be followed at random.
Every farmer knows that 4 great deal
depends upon the season As well rs the
kind or character Of the soil. Ii some
times happens that 4 light or naturally
friablc soil has become packed and hard
by beatin. storms, AMI that blowing IL
is Indispensable in order 10 put it into
proper condition for a crop. while, un-
der other circumstances soils of a much
heavier texture turn over like an ash
heap; so that in this. - in other things.
the Judgment of the farmer must
govern in the methods employ ed in car
ry:ng on the operations Of his farm.
A few words hcre upon spring piow-
ing are not out of place. Sandy or
grayelly soils may be plowcd or re-
plOwed in the spring without running
much risk; but it is different with clay
soils, and the RUE should govern that
clay is To be plowed in the fall or win
ter. To pursue a different course in
volves a risk, especially with undraineh
land. A clav loan which is under
drained and has been well cultivated
may be treated more ike "A lighter soil;
but v then prudence is required. for
clav soils are sensitive, and are often
injured by starting the pillow too soon
after a heavy rain, showing the effect
in the Weld of the crop. Still, adj
hesive soils, whether clayey or loamy
cannot be plowcd % advantage while
wet or very dry. However, such soils
are improved by frequent blowing. As
this reduces them 10 that timely COM
minuted condition which is favorable
to the growth of plants. All tlilabie
land has more or less clay in it, and II
worked when too wet, the result Is
hurtful. 1t is in this way that disap-
pointment occurs i'm the yield of rich
alluviai lands, which fail to produce
abundantly because the clay is thus
rendered comparatively useless.
1t NAV seem superiluous to some of
our readers to offer suggestions that are
well understood by them. 1t must not
be forgotten, however, that many of our
later readers arc young farmers. or
men who have had little or no expert
ence in tilling the soil. Nor is ii out of
place TO occasionally remind farmers of
longer experience that much care must
be exercised in blowing or rc-plowing
land in spring. In no small degree
does the success Of the seasons crop
depend on the farmers prudence in
this regard; nor does the matter end
with a single season. and this is one
thing that is frequently lost sight of at
the time a farmer may be turning over
his land. While land is too wet to
pillow. whether in fall or spring, to turn
it up so that it viii bale is 10 injure ii
for several years. cnta ling much un-
necessary loss both of yield of crops.
and of labor to restore il TO a nat ural
condition of fertility .-Prairie Farmer.