The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-02-18
News Of The Farm
ABOUT SPRING FLOWING


| The blowing of land in spring is an ordi-
nary matter of farming, yet it is the most
important work performed, for the rea-
son that the growth of the crop and the
the soil. The amount of moisture, warm
tn and supply of plant food is regulated &C
cording to the capacity of the soil to alb
serb. retain and yield to the crops the de-
sired elements necessary to complete
growth. The time has been when pota-
toes were planted in the sod, first laying
on the rows and cultiyating the crops af-
ter the plants appeared above ground, and
II may be added that good crops have
been secured in that manner. Neverthe-
less, better results have been obtained
when the land was plowed and then work
ed over until il became fine. In proof OF
the fact that the careful preparation OF the
soil increases the yield it is well known
that a garden plot will produce more than
a held, although the land of the field may
be fully as rich in plant food as the gar
den plot, but the difference is that the
preparation of the soil for garden is usu-
ally complete, and when the field is treat
ed in the same manner it will not fail to
show the effects of the better prepara-
ton. The foundation upon which ali good
crops are built is the land, and the begin
ming Of the crop is when the land is
plowed.
PIoWlng in the manure IS one method of
working it into the soil, but all farmers
do MT VII
turn UNDER their manure in the same man
ner. If the manure is too deep some time
must elapse before the roots of the young
plants will get down TO it. 1t will not
be very long before the plants will find
the manure and utilize it, but early in the
year 1t is very important that such a crop
as corn should get a good start, and the
loss OF week at the beginning may have
an effect on the crop should the season
come on dry. If the manure is spread on
the surface and then worked into the top
soil with the harrow the young plants will
be enabled to useit from the start, and
the harrow will also render the soil fine.
Two objects will be accomplished by so
the manure itself will be
made finer, and second, the fineness of the
soil will result in better disintegration of
of the manure and thus
provide the plants with available food at
the beginning and also throughout the
growing season. Manure that is plowed
under will be very useful at the time the
plants are maturing but the more rapid
the growth of the plants when young the
greater their root power and feeding capa-
city.
No crop should go into the ground until |
he soil is warm enough to terminate the |
seed. Corn that begins to grow and is |
checked by cold rain on cold soil will be |
brown back in growth weey or two or |
perhaps more, and it is, therefore, better |
a wait few days for thesoil to become |
warm than to lose more valuable time in
growth later. The warmth will depend on |
he depth and fneness of thes oil and its
lryness. well plowed field that is pro-
,erly drained will become warm several |
lays sooner than one which has been
Flowed in a careless manner. The air en-
ers a porous soil and the heat goes where
yer the air can enter. If the soil is fine
he surplus water can be more easily car
led off, as it passes down to the subsoil
nd reaches the under drain sooner, but if
he moisture remains near the surface
" reason of shallow blowing the land will
re cold until the season opens very warm.
t which period corn should then be well
nder way. The rule should be to plow
S early as hte soil will permit and keep
t loose with the harrow. 1t is an old re-
lark that no farmer can harrow field
90 often, but the crop will be better en-
bled to derive plant food, moisture and
as the fine soil stores water that
7ould be lost in summer on hord soil and
ives it to the plants when it is most pc
uired.