The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1883-11-23
FAN Flowing.

Il has always been our own practice
to do as much of the blowing for spring
crops the previous fall as possible.
There are several advantages to be
gained by fall blowing. First, if in the
rase of sod land. the work is done, and
there will be so much less to do in the
spring when work is particularly driving.
A field of grass we'll plowed in autumn
should never require cross-plOwing in
spring. If the sod is turned over so
sarly that the grass starts into growth
between the burrows, or comes up
through them, then the pulverizing har-
row should be used till everything is de-
.troyed. This will leave the land in
almost perfect condition for early plant
Ing or sowing in spring.
1t has been our custom. when posi-
BILE, to haul out the summer made ma
nure and spread 1t upon such newly
plowed fields and harrow it in all ready
Tor spring planting, either with corn.
potatoes or garden crops. Land treated
after two or three borrowings in spring
Is the best worked old field, besides
much valuable time will thus be saved.
All the fields where corn, potatoes or
other crops have been harvested should
De plOwed as soon as convenient after
harvest, for the purpose of destroying
,uch weeds as otherwise would live
through the winter and be ready to
start into growth in the early spring.
before the land would be In fit condition
!or blowing. Sorrel, all kinds of grass,
md many biennial weeds may be de-
,troyed by the pillow, which, if left to
grow, would be seriously in the way of
cultivation the following spring. Witch
grass roots ore easily destroyed by ex-
posing them to the weather by late
blowing.
Gardens that are to be planted early
should be plowed and heavily man.
ared in the fall Then there will be no
hindrance in the spring, after the frost
IS out, but the seeds may be put in with
/, little fertilizer in the drill, and the
crops will be growing while tardy
neighbors are hauling manure or plow-
.ng their land. 1t is true that things
will not grow in spring until the soil
and air are warm enough, but it is
equally true that most of us lose more
Or less of the early growing weather,
while we are doing work that might
perhaps have been done in the fall.
Fall blowing undoubtedly does disturb
and destroy some of the insects which
annoy US by destroying our crops, yet
We do not look to this as one of the
greatest gains from fall blowing.
Some soils are benefited by being ex-
posed to the frosts of winter. Freezing
and thawing operate to break down
hard Jumps, and in a measure, to crack
n pieces some of the stones of our fields
which are thus at length converted into
soil. Light, sandy land that is easy to
blow, and which is never too wet in
spring, may be less benefited by fall
blowing. Yet this, if weedy, should be
nrned bottom side up for destroying
weeds. About the only exception we
ian conceive of, to be made to fall plow-
ng. is upon steep hillsides where mel
low land would wash and gully out if
2lowed just before winter sets in, and
IN meadow bottoms subject to overflow,
and yet in such locations the loss may
lot exceed the gain in time saved, and
n weeds destroyed.
Teams are nearly always in better
condition to pillow and haul manure in
The cool autumn days than in early
spring. after they have perhaps been
comparatively idle in winter. There
are lands, too. which are too stiff for
turning under manure, but which must
De MANFRED on the surface. Such
lands, if plowed in the fall, may be COW
,red with manure at any time during
The winter, while, if the blowing be de-
aged, until spring, the manure hauling
must also be delayed, thus putting the
spring work badly behind. There is
Tery little loss from spreading manure
n winter, where it is 10 be used in
,pring.-Neao England Farmer.