The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1889-08-09


for division and also general diffusion
of heat, moisture and air increase the
supply of food available in form and
location the roots get firm attachments;
absence of large crevices insures alb
sence of excessive air; the conditions
are against an excess ofmoisture, which,
by its expansion in freezing, would
heave up the ground and throw out the
wheat; and the seed can be most evenly
distributed and covered, and the best
ridges be formed for the protection of
the plants.
Knowing these prime mechanical
conditions of the seed bed for heat,
we easily arrive at the advantages of
early blowing. First, we stop in good
season that growth of weeds which too
frequently springs upon stubble ground,
and that, if allowed to reach consider
able proportions, will prevent the COM
pacting of the wheat ground, although
they are we'll turned under. Second,
the work of blowing can be better and
more easily done. August is usually
dry and hot, and the ground, already
dry, hardens rapidly. If we defer plow-
ing until the latter part of August or
until September, the ground will be so
hard that the work will wear fast the
plowman, pillow and team. and the
ground will break up into Jumps, and
Jumps hard to reduce; whereas if we
pillow early, the ground will be more
easily broken, there will be fewer
Jumps, and they will not be nearly so
hard. Third, the ground can be pull
verised and compacted with less labor.
partly because of the conditions just
named; and also, sun, rain and air do
most effective work in disintegratine
Jumps and compacting the particles,
and these laborers exact no hire and
board themselves. The earlier we
pillow, the longer their season of work.
Fourth, blowing will bring to the sur
face, where they will terminate, the
seeds of weeds and Of grasses. If the
blowing is done early the growths from
these seeds will be destroyed by the
work cf fitting the seed bed; while if
the blowing is done late, much Of this
growth viii! come after the wheat is
sown, and grass and weeds will choke
and rob the wheat. Fifth, if we pillow
early, the manure may be spread after
the pillow, and as we fit the seed bed the
manure will be fined and incorporated
with the upper soil. This is as it
should be, for wheat is among the shall
low feeders, and needs the manure
most In the fall and early spring. while
the plants are yet small. Sixth, soils
gain fertility from the atmosphere and
more from disintegration and decompo-
sition within themselves; and both these
gains are increased by blowing, which
facilitates the action Of air, sun and
moisture; hence early blowing enlarges
these gains of fertility.
Some make the very serious mistake
of not following close after the pillow
with the roller and the harrow, and as
result the clods become all the harder
in the sun and hot wind. If the clods
are crushed and pressed down some
what, they will gain moisture from be-
low and will soften. Roller and har-
row are at this time put over the
ground but once, for if we use them
more we cannot get the blowing done
in good season; and also, the process
of compacting the ground may be car
ried too far till it is seeding time
Country Gentleman.