The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-10-23
FURTHER INFORMATION RESPECTING
THE MERITS OF THE CLARK
CUTAWAY.
A Little Incident of How the Good
and Industrious Sometimes Go
Wrong.


l take pleasure in answering your
interrogatories, and for the better
understanding of others who are per-
haps interested here repeat them in
the order propounded:
l. Have you entirely dispensed
with the turning pillow in breaking
land?
2. Does the cutaway work as easily
as a turning pillow in any kind and
condition of land?
Does it invert, turn over or mix
the soil as effectively as a pillow?
4. To what depth can it stir the
soil?
B. Does it cut and cover up trash,
such as cotton and corn stalks, as
thoroughly as a pillow with rolling
cutter?
6. What is its draught compared
to IL inch sulky?
7. Is it more liable to damage or
more costly to keep in repair than q
pillow?
l. Yes, but, here must follow an
elaboration that was merely limited in
my former article. 1t is essential
an in. perative demand, l may say, of
our seasons, that all roots of our
growing crops should be imbedded as
deeply in the soil as posi-
BILE. This can be accomplished
successfully only in rowed
crops. How to accomplish this is a
principle entering into a proper I'M
derstanding of my answer. 1 suggest
that it is not found in the deep break
ing of our soil but in the greatest
depth below the surface that you can
successfully start the seed growth
and after methods of cultivation.
Now, take corn for instance, which
affords an extreme illustration as well
as proper understanding of my al
firmation to your question. This
plant has an ascending habit OF root
formation. Then, to more perfectly
aid in its cultivation and maximum
capacity for withstanding drouth, l
precede the "cutaway" with
"trencher", a turning pillow with a
right and left mold board, say as early
in the fall or winter as practicable.
Behind the trencher follows the cut
away with center discs running in its
burrows. These trencher burrows
mark the exact distance of the width
of rows and in them the corn is
planted the following spring by q
planter preceded by twenty-five
inch sweep.
2. Your question takes wide
range. My experience is limited.
The philosophic principle involved in
the methods of entrance into the soil
is in question. What this would
be under all conditions depends on
the power of the moving weight to
force the cutting edges of the blades
downward. On stony or obdurate
compact soil or soil covered by a
dense mating of grass and weeds, the
resistance to entrance would be in
creased in ratio to the power of the
resisting course. l do not pasture my
farm.
3. 1t does not invert or turn over
the soil literally in the sense that a
turning pillow does, but to the depth
penetrated it more thoroughly mixes
it. 1t is pulverizer.
4. Depends on amount of weight
carried. On my farm, which is close
ly allied to Our black prairie lands,
three to five inches.
5. 1t cuts but does not cover up as
thoroughly.
6. Do not know. Would judge 333
per cent. less. This, however, de-
ponds on the conditions Of depth
desired. 1 find no difficulty in reach
ing the depth mentioned in answer 4
with two good average mules.
7. 1t is not, save in the one item OF
oil. DAN NJ. MCRAE.
Buttercup.
HOW DOTH THE LITTLE BUSY BEE.
DR.. Watts has immortalized the in
dustry, perseverance and architect
ural skill of the bee in simple graphic
verse, but he entirely neglected to
mention its bad qualities. Whether
this omission was the result of ignor-
ance of its anatomical structure or
the deliberate act of partial friend
who wished to condone the insects
moral and physical defects, deponent
will not affirm.
While all will agree with the kindly
doctors estimate of the good proper
ties of the little busy bee," common
fairness demands the statement that
the most extolled insect sometime
acts in manner calculated to estrsDg
those who might otherwise be 1t:
| friends.
| II ,,,o,, no information to some that