The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-01-12
Winter Plowing-1ts Benefits.

Ordinarily by the middle Of November
all the crops of the southern farm are har-
vested and period of comparative leisure
begias which, with very large number of
farmers, does not end before the middle
of January, even il it does
not intend into February. During
this period it is only few farmers who
have any blowing done toward expediting
the work Of the new year. There are thou
sands of small farmers who do not run a
furrow before the middle of January, and
there are a great many who postpone it I'M
til the Feb. l. This is mistake that it
would be we'll for farmers to correct. What
nay be called the ''rough-drafting" of
land should, by all means, be begun in De-
cember, if not in November, and by Jan.
10 ali the land that it ID designed to plant in
corn and cotton should have received its
preliminary blowing or trough drafting"
which will greatly expedite the final prepa-
raaOn tor planting
i is very common nowadays where farm
ers have secured a satisfactory horizontal
and have established bitches at intervals to
maintain the run of the old rows by laying
of the new rows in the old middles, and bed
dug out so as to pillow up the old stalks in
running the last burrows. OF course this is
well enough if the land is of such charac-
ter as to allow Of hoed crops following hoed
crops. But well-ordered system of farm
ing nowadays implies a considerable area
OF stubbe land to be plowed every seasol-
land on which hay and forage crops have
been made, or on which grain has been
grown and which has been allowed to grow
up In weeds for the sake of accumulaLing
vegetable matter. Early in the winter the
preliminary preparation OF this land
should besin, and the most expeditions and
satisfactory way is as follows:
With good turn shovel run the first row
as near the horizontal as possible, and come
back on the bar side of this furrow, and
leave unbroken just as much of ridge as
can we'll be broken open with a large,
round shovel. The two turn burrows
thrown together in every alternate trips
cover up all the vegetable matter that oc-
cupy the space between them. 1t is not ex-
pected to break the soil thoroughly at this
pow 6, but merely to get the land ridged,
ana IN so doing cover up the vegetable
matter so as to hasten its decomposition,
ana TO leave the soil in a condition to be
acted on by the freezes that follows With
q sharp, well-Shaped turn shovel a fair
ploWman can run these burrows so as to
make rows Of uniform distance apart. 1t
very rapid work, and perfectly adapted
the purpo of covering most of the
vegetable matter The final preparation
later In February or March will be made by
spltung open the ridge left between the
car sides. applying any fertilizer to the fur
70" and then bedding back upon it. If one
suopt the plan Of applying the fertilizer in
Iue siding or list burrows, it can be applied
VFer tile ridge before it is split open. This
much the better PLAZA.
nope have made it plain, for it is a
sood plan, and it is not the common prac-
Sce That it should be. Few small farmers
uaVe as yet adopted sulky plows with which
.sey can make one ''land" of fold, and
TrlIectlvely turn under their stubble land.
rug plan suggested is almost as expeditions
a. suiky blowing, so far as covering the
;esetable matter is concerned, aud the land
lelt In fine shape for the beneficial action
3. fost and the prompt preparation Of it
LOT planting
The decaying vegetable matter SO near the
o y. will keep the soil friable, and allow
VI IoS being put in good shape, even if the
TWTsaather should be dry and droughty.
" mere the weeds are rank and very tall, of
~ etoutSe they will not be covered, but where
voc SOIL is thorown against the stems they
Vii soon rot off at the surface and fall
oFer aud will be covered at the first plow-
.ng' Where the weeds are very rank all
Uver the field it will be better to resort to a
ppiIAy plow, or even a two-horse walking
piow, and make one land of the field and
ay II Off afterward
sl onaoubtedly great deal more blowing
ssIould be done in December and January
tlan Is usually done. Fix the fences, make
S SIe compost, get up the wood. clean out the
ttt'caes and the like when the soil is too wet
~ ~ pow, but between times when the soil ia
~ ~ good blowing condition speed the pillow
S - as not to make the work come with a
, usn 10 the.spring when dry weather or wet
leather may become an obstacle to its being
ven done in proper time The mechanical
caution Of clay land especially is very
H'eatiy improved by having it ridged up