Milford chronicle., 1883-09-01
FARM AND GARDEN.
Noicu Fre.s .he isAmcricnn ARriculturisi''
Tor September.


looked upon as one that can be dispense,
with without any serious loss, and as tn,
work must be done at a time when tn,
farmer has begun to look forward to {
season OF rest, he is naturally inclined
to seek reasons for emitting this addi
tion to the list Of important farming
operations.
The benefits of summer following land
previous to sowing Of grain are generally
admitted by all good farmers, and whal
is called fall plowing is but part Of o
like operation, with this difference, the
weeds, stnbble, and grass which have
accumulated undisturbed. OF but
slightly disturbed during the sum
mer, are all turned under at one
time, where they soon decay, adding
fertility to the soil. Wheat, rye and
oat stubble should always be turned un-
der soon after harvest, unless the land
has been seeded down.
It is quite a common practice among
farmers to use the fields from which
grain has been cut for pasture from har-
vest time until winter; and while we
must admit that more or less food for
cattle can be obtained from such fields,
as a rule weeds predominate, and if per-
mitted to mature their seeds fill the soil
and become pests in future years. A
glance at the grain fields in our Western
States at this season is sufficient to dis
pei all thoughts of spontaneous genera
ton OF noxious weeds, for every acre is
perfecting enough seeds to infect the
farms of a whole country, and when we
see not only one acre, but thousands in
a body, all covered with weeds, we are
no longer at a loss to know where such
pests come from, and how distributed.
If the weeds were plowed under before
the seeds were perfected, they would
make excellent manure, and the land be
no worse for their presence. The richer
the land the more vigorous are the |
weeds, and while the rich prairie lands
Of the West produce none of our most |
common noxious weeds when first
broken up, they soon become the home
Of the rankest and worst species of these
pests, because the farmer seldom at
tempts to destroy them unless he can do
it without any extra labor or expense.
Fall plowing, if done after the weeds
have perfected their seeds, will not de-
stroy these pests, but merely cover up
the seeds to be brought to the surface
again at the next plowing, Late fal
plowing will probably benefit the land
by improving its condition through dis
which follows exposure to
rains and winter frosts, and while we
believe that early fall blowing is the s
best, we would rather do it late than not I
at all. {
1t often happens that we have a dry
fall and a wet late spring, and in such '
cases the farmer will find that the fall
plowed land will be much the driest and '
easiest worked in spring, and there will {
be something gained in the improved
of the soil, but the hardest 7
work, which is the breaking up after a 7
rear Of eompacting, has been done at a
ieason when his teams had least to do. I
If meadows, pastures, or new land that
las never been plowed are to be broken L
Up, itshould be done as early in the fall e
s possible, in order that the seeds, t
rush, or sod turned under may have a
he benefit of a few warm days, and c
howers to hasten decomposition of the t
egetable matter before frosts come to Fl
heck further decay. Both heat and 81
loisture are necessary TO the rapid de- b
imposition Of vegetable matter in the a.
Ill, and if buried just before the cold a
Gather sets in or the ground freezes, it al
i'll remain almost unchanged until the o.
blowing spring. tc
Fall plowing is often recommended ei
T the purpose Of destroying the grubs g
I'd pupa of various kinds of insects I'll
lown to hibernate, or live in the g
'ound, and while some no doubt msv m
hllle9 ~ al2yil i g sde son and expos al
e to their natural enemy, we do not, Sc
,on the whole, think any considerable
mber can be destroyed in this way VI
icy certainly cannot be killed l.y ex- m
sure to cold, and they are generally ne
yeloped in a covering impervious to its
ter; and while a few may be crushed go
the plow, and others caught by to
Ids, the larger part viii escape unin- 1t
ed. in
Fall plowing should always be done ha
cross-plowing, if the conformation of it
, land viii permit it, in order to thor on
yhly break up the soil, and at the sit.
ne time allow Of laying down the If
ds in their original form at the time the
blowing in the ensuing spring or sum- 1t
r It is a bad plan to plow land al an'
rs in one direction, or even twice in be
cession, if it can be avoided, although clio
have known farmers who paid little lin
'ntion to such matters, and seemed the
ihink that il the soil was partly or ma.
oily inverted that was sufficient. A
here is, however, a great difference mir
only in the way land is plowed, but for
in its condition at tho time Of per En-.
ming The operation. All heavy com
soils should be plowed when they Is
in q moderate dry condition, for if sire
red and mixed when wet and full Of not
er their natural mortar-like consis- doe
y is intensified, ard upon again dry bic
thew baeor,o I,s,.7o,. a., -, .,r., 49,, e.,