The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-04-02
A PRIZE ESSAY ON FLOWING.
by ]. c. sTRIBLlNG.

When we consider that the prepara.
ton of the soil by plowing is the first
and most important part of the cultiva.
ton of crops, upon which all civilized
nations are directly or indirectly depen.
dant for both food aud raiment we can
appreciate the wisdom of the Western
Powmon. in offering valuable prize for
the best essay on this, perhaps the oldest
subject upon agriculture that has engaged
the mind of man. Cato, two thousand
years ago, said, "If I am asked what is
the first point in good husbandry, l an.
swer good plowing; what the second
good blowing of any kind" Flowing
may be properly called a mechanical
preparation of the soil, and the plow the
key by which the treasures in plant food
contained in the land, may be unlocked
The character and depth of the poiI {; tho
kind of crops to follow; the climate, and
the amount aud kind of manure to be
used, are all factors which should determ-
inc whether turning should be deep or
shallow but rs a rule, all drained lands
having stiff clay or hard pan subsoil are
benefited by deep breaking (uot turning)
with some kind Of plow that does not
turn up more than one or two inches of
subsoil during the season, though the
subsoil may be broken to any depth (if
there be drainage either natural or arti.
ficiaD without injury 10 the fertility &C
such lands.
The depth 10 which plowing may prof.
itably be done, depends upon the depth
of the soil, or the amount of manure to
be used; tie deeper the plow runs the
more power required, and consequently
more expensive. Therefore, it is evident
that it will not pay to plow land having
thin soil very deep without manuring.
Deep piowing on inclined or rolling lands
drains as we'll 40 pulverizes The soil, ana
counteracts the evil effects of both ex.
cessive rains and drought. Deep plow-
ing on Fat lands having under drainage
or porous subsoil, accomplishes the same
results as the above.
Deep plowing on fiat lands, without
drainage, is questionable operation as
TO economy; heavy rains flooding the
land with water that can escape only by
evaporation il sure to leave the land hard
and inert as before. All stiff lands, thas
are intended for Spring planting, should
be turned during the Fall previous to
planting; the furrows should lap on
each other at an angle Of forty five
degrees, for the purpose of exposing as
much surface to tho action of frost and
air as possible. In order to mako this
angle, the plow should run about two.
thirds as deep ae the cut is wide. In
plowing sod or other land having growth
on it, for immediate planting, the furrcw
slice should be completely inverted,
which will hide all filth and leave good
seed bed. The plow, to do this nicely,
should cut the full width of share, aud
from three and half to four times as
wide as the furrow is deep; in such land,
free from stone, the wheel coulter is in.
valuable. 1t is presumed that no one
having any forethought will plow land
too wet. Plow sandy or porous land
shallow, and just before planting.
Next to the thorough understanding
plies, which underiie good p1owing, is the
the same. Here the selection of the
plow is first in Importance unouestion.
ably, the plow that accom- plishes the
most and best work, with the least cost,
giving due consideration to draft and
durability, Is the plow to select. Princi.
pie Of construction and material, embody
the many features of plow; feither OF
these are deficient, tho whole plow Is
proportionately deficient; the draft being
| brought into use at every step of the
team, makes this feature the more i'm
portant, though the efficiency and
| amount of work done In n given time
durability, ease to team and driver, all
| contribute to their respective proportions
in making up good plow.
The properly constructed wheel plow
is as far ahead Of plow without wheels;
as the wheeled wagons are ahead of the
old sled, in respect to draft. The good
| sulky plow enables one operator to per.
form the toilsome labor Of from two to
four hands lowing to capacity of piow),
| with ease and comfort, and the work
done is better. Snlky plows, having
! three wheels Zone at the end of beam,
and the other two behind the plow), have
their advantages; First, the work of
both team and piow. can be seen at once
| the third wheel ENSURES uniform depth
| and width of cut, and considerably re,
| duces the draft. These are three telling
points In favor Of an economical days
work, and will amount to the price Of q
good plow in short while.
The more mastery horse Of team
should walk in furrow, and &c will
materially assist the driver in controlling
the team. In plowing fields ION paper(7)
there are but few comprehensive plans
that are applicable to their average shape
and conditions one is to line of with q
plow a strip, say ten feet wide, all around
the field, for the purpose of turning on
Next mark off uniform strips, aRy ten ia
fifteen feet wide, running in the desired
direction from fnrrow to fnrrow, until
the field is lined of, then start right
hand plows on the outside of strip mum.
Der one, and return on the right hand
side of strip number three, and continue
on these strips, swinging the team
smoothly around at ends without stop.
ping, throwing the plow out Of the
........."
'fE- d: