Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1899-01-18
NEW nETHoD OF SOIL CULTURE.
A Fair Test and it's Results Given 1t
by Hon. d. Buchanan.
Ritzville, Wash, s, is, '9S.

Mr.. Thomas Cooper, Gen. L. A. n.
p. Ry. Co, Tacoma.--In the late winter
and early spring OF the year 1897, the
n. P. Ry. Co., through your depart
ment, caused to be distributed among
the farmers OF this section, certain
printed matter, giving information in
regard to the Campbell method of
soil culture. This was followed by
you sending to this station, one
Campbell Subsoil Packer, and one
Campbell Surface Cultivator, for the
gratuitous use of any farmer or farm
ers who might wish to try them, with
view to ascertain if the adoption of
Mr.. Campbells new method would be
any improvement over the old and
prevailing methods of culture in this
section OF the country. No other
person being disposed TO make the re-
quired experiment, at the request OF
your Mr.. Benz. Martin, here; l took
the tools to my farm, and took special
pains, to give the new method OF soil
culture fair and satisfactory trial.
To that end / used the Subsoil Pack
er on 70 acres, in the middle of a
field one mile long north and south
and 300 rods east and west. The
land was plowed east and west, being
plowed for summer fallow. 1t was
sowed to winter wheat OF the Jones'
Winter Fyfe variety, in August and
September, '97. That, and the land
north and south of it, receiving the
same treatment in all other respects
outside OF subscil packing. The soil
was very dry at seeding time and
rainless fall prevented the seed from
terminating until the edge OF winter.
During the growing season this
spring could observe no particular
difference between the crop on the
packed and the unpacked land, until
about the time it came in ear, after
which the grain on the packed land
improved more and advanced to ma
turity more rapidly than did the
grain on the unpacked land, and was
ready for the sickle three to five days
earlier than that on the unpacked
land.
I finished threshing two days ago,
and the result is as follows:
From 90 acres south OF packed land
and 1913 acres north of it 1 got 6,4l5
bushels, or close to 80 bushels to the
acre. From 70 acres of packed land l
got 2.462 bushels, or about 35 bushels
to the acre.
therefore credit the use of the SUBJ
soil packer with an increase yield OF
five bushels to the acre, three to five
days earlier maturity, and a percep-
tably harder surface to the ground in
all farming operations thereon. l
found the surface cultivator to be a
useful tool for mulching purposes; but
as weed killer, entirely useless. l am
of the opinion, that on clean land, it
is desirable tool; but on weedy land,
such as we have in this section, it is a
failure.
also tried Mr.. Campbells recon-
mendation of constructing light
harrow with wire spikes for teeth. l
used 50-penny spikes. In narrowing
five acres the spikes were so bent
that had to throw it aside as entire
useless and return to the use OF the
common harrow.
Fully approaching the commenda-
BILE motive that prompted you to in
troduce this improved method of soil
culture, and thanking you for the
gratuitous use OF the tools with which
to make the experiment, l am
Very Respectfully Yours,
D. RITCUANAN