Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1885-07-08
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
Flowing Sod.

As to what constitutes good plow-
ing in sod the following by cores
pondent of the Western Plowman indi-
Gates that the writer is practical man
and knows also how to put his thoughts
into comparatively few words. AS to
what constitutes good blowing he says
it is the certainty that the soil be
equally broken to uniform depth, and
that all vegetation and rubbish be
buried out OF sight. This cannot be
done unless the burrows are straight,
for in crooked burrows there is an
inequality in the width, which causes
some parts to be pulverized more than
others.
1t is then required that the burrows
shall be straight, of uniform width and
depth, and that all weeds, trash, and
sod be turned down out of the way of
the after cultivation of the land. The
idea is not, however, that all the
burrows must be of the same uniform
width and depth, but that each furrow
must carry its right proportion through
out-from end to end. In order to
pillow land without tramping the plowed
ground it is mostly desirable, and on
low, wet land becomes necessary, to
pillow in Glands from twenty to forty
feet in width according to the amount
of drainage needed, in which case or
in any case of back-furrowing, except
in an old, deep, dead furrow, the first
in order is to set up several stakes in a
line where the fridge is to be; then
after placing the lines over the Shout
ders or around the body at the waist,
drawing them pretty tightly over the
left-hand handle of the pillow is better.
ED. drive slow and pillow the first
furrow, very shallow, say two inches
if the ground is smooth, or just deep
enough to cut clean furrow. Let the
second and third burrows be one inch
deeper and we'll laid up on the first.
In blowing second furrow the off horse
should not be allowed to take the
furrow; but set the pillow over so he can
walk close along the edge of the
turned furrow. Let the fourth
and fifth burrows be about one
and one-half inches deeper and so
on until the desired depth is reached,
which must be determined each one
for himself, as different soils require
different treatment, and while deep
blowing is to be recommended in most
cases, there are of course exceptions.
Care should always be taken to have
the furrow slice rightly proportioned.
On all heavy soils it is best to have the
inverted soil placed in an inclined or
tapping position that the weather and
harrow may have a chance to exercise
their pulverizing powers, but more
especially to effect better drainage, the
spaces beneath the burrows acting as
small under drains to carry off the
surplus water, and should always have
an outlet at the end, or the water will
collect and keep Il portion of the
ground wet long after the balance of
the field is dry. 1t is fact not gener-
ally understood among plowmen that
the furrow slice to be equally inclined
on both sides after it is turned over
must be two-thirds as deep as it is
wide; that is, if the pillow runs eight
inches deep the slice should be twelve
inches wide.
An otherwise good job of blowing is Of
ten spoiled in finishing the dead furrow.
Always begin to shallow up" when
there are yet three or four rounds to
pillow, then pillow down until a strip of
sod two feet wide is left. Now let
each horse take furrow, and turn
slice six inches deep and ten inches
wide. Coming back pillow three inches
deep and nine wide. Now turn round
and take the remaining five inches of
sod and about three inches to the left
of it in the bottom of the shallow fur
row, letting the pillow run six inches
deep. Now 90 to some other part of
the field and pillow back, or slide the
pillow back, and pillow final f,lrrow
taking the remainder of the bottom of
the shallow furrow, letting the land
horse walk on the plowed ground.
When the hanging coulter is used
it will be found an advantage to have
it bent so as to cut under about half
an inch, which leaves more acute
ridges on the surface of the plowed
ground, which, narrowed down, will
cover the grass splendidly.