The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-01-24
FARMS AND FARMERS.
Short Talks With the Men Who
Guide the Pillow.
OF GENERAL INTEREST TO FARMERS.
EDITED BY DE-. W. l.. JONES.
breaking Land.

break broadcast, and afterwards bed: or bed
~ first and afterwards reverse beds. This de-
pends on circumstances. On rolling and un-
serraced land, beds increase the liability to
wash. II not laid off on an absolute level, they
hold water and discharge it at some low point
ana thus start washes. Ii the land has been
teTraced, and the terraces pretty well levelled,
fhs does not hold good and the matter must
then be reviewed from some other standpoint
Which has greater tendency to bake and
crust, ridged or fat surfaces? Tho latter
most decidedly. Which presents the greater
surface to the ameliorating influences
OF frost and air, ridged or fiat
surfaces? Ridged unqestionably. 1t would
appear, therefore, that on level and terraced
land where there is little risk of washing, bed
ding is preferable to broadcast breaking.
Another and great advantage in bedding,
over broadcast breaking, is that there is more
leisure at this season for laying off rows cor
rectly, than there will be later. AS planting
time approaches, the farmer gets alarmed lest
he be too much behind, and will not take time
to run Off rows with level, and deviations
from level always bring trouble. Level Gull
ture is all important i'll the preservation of the
soil and soil preservation is the foundation
upon which improvement of the land rests
AS long as the soil is being constantly washed
away, how can it be enriched. If manure is
applied, will il not be carried off with the soil
Another circumstance worthy of consideration
Is, that if the rows are laid
off improperly now, defects may be .cor-
rected in rebedding. If at any point
the rows incline down hill too much they can
be moved up hill little in rebeddng Such
defects can be readily seen after rainfalls, and
there is no difficulty in correcting them. But
where the bedding follows broadcast breaking
and manure Is put under bed there will be no
opportunity OF correcting mistakes until the
next seasons bedding is at hand.
Another advantage of bedding over broad
cast breaking IS that the water furrow between
beds, in which furrow manure is to be placed
can be opened deeper and better than drills
laid off on level surface. The former in
gures, therefore, a more thorough breaking
under the permanent or final bed, and this is
no mean consideration. After bedding with
one-horse plows it is good plan to run q two
horse pillow in the water furrow before putting
manure in it. This is about equivalent to
subsoiling under the bed. A long, keen
straight shovel on two-horso plowstock does
the work eXcellently. After manure is put in,
II it is listed Oh by scooters run quite close to
the manure, very thorough breaking of the
base of the permanent bed is secured.
Where broadcast breaking is deemed advis-
able, how shall one proceed? The usual prac-
tice is to lay off lands fifteen or twenty feet
wide and break these ont one by one There
are two serious objections to this plan-one
that the horse and plowman. in turning at the
ends, always tramp upon plowed ground the
other is that so much time is lost in blowing
the short burrows at the end of each land. A
better plan is to lay off a fuYTow in the middle
Of field equidistant from sides of field and
having each end OF this first furrow stop as far
short OF the ends Of the field as the furrow is
distant from the sides of the field Then bed
on this furrow, going round and round, and the
sides and ends Of the field will be reached at
the same time. The horse and driver will never
tread upon plowed ground. If double team
is used the same horse will walk in the fur
row all the time, but viii always turn on firm
ground. No dead or water furrow will be left
except around the edges of the field. This is
decided advantage in preparing land for
grass or clover, where a smooth level surface
is desired. If land is terraced or ditched, the
spaces between terraces or bitches may be
plowed in same manner as the whole field
above. Or in terraccd land, a hillside pillow
may be used, starting at the lower edge and
finishing at the upper, leaving the only open
9urrow there. The usual practice in terraced
fields is to begin at the edges and make one
land of the terrace This leaves water fur
row in the middle of tie terrace. When this
is done year after year,the middle becomes the
lowest place. In such case, begin III the mid
die and bed up on first furrow so as to finish
at the edges, This will make the land level
again. w. L. j.
Here is q letter that we take pride in
I
written in such sincerity that it may be
read with profit by those into whose hands
The CONSTITUTION falls.
1t is the boast of TIE CONSTITUTION that
1t interests every member Of the family. 1t
is clean, bright, reliable, cheerful newspa-
per, that must bring sunshine into every
home whose threshold it crosses. No paper
ever won such testimony from its readers
and it is not surprising that on its merits it
has grown from 5000 subscribers to 10000.
Read what Mr.. Watson says and profit by
his advice.
BAsTRoP Tex, January 10, 1SSs-Edito-s Atlanta
Constitutions see here IIr. Editor did not get The
$500 III money or gold, but l satisfied. have
got $50 in the best newspaper in TIE United States
would not touch your $500 and be without it any
longer Why, sir, it is the first paper that has ever
entered my home tlat has attracted the attention
OF the whole family. Now, to tell you the truth /
have got myself into business, ard, in lie place of
one copy, Just told the young ones they must work
up.thIs year, AND next fall they must send for ore
for their spetiI benefit, and tley must
do it. The minute mine comes from the
Office, and as soon is l can open H. the
next question is (as we all ean
no read at oncel: Papa, do read out so we can all
hear, and read must and kind sir if it is night
they will not shat their eyes in sleep until the last
line is read Yes to be plain,I consider the Calves
ton News and the good old Macon Telegraph both
excellent papers Now, Mr.. Editor, no hattery but
when children render q verdict it Is from the
heart, and is Gospel truth, and mine says the dear
old CONSTITUTION is the best paper that has ever on
tered this home and your humble servant thinks 20
too. have not written this for publication only IN
let you know now myself and family can appreciate
a paper that is worth is weight in gold Nav God
bless you. With mauy good wishes am,
Respectfully, H. D. WATSON
THE FARM QUERY Bon.
Conducted by DIR. w. T.. Jones, Formerly of
Ia SnufhHrt, mi