The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1900-07-26
THE weber,.
It's Place In Modern Farming and
EPuif Growing.

Fruit Growing.
When 1t was demonstrated that q
soil mulch was necessary in the corn
fields of the middle west as well as the
fruit orchards all over the United
States. the matter of a shallow going
instrument became a necessity. 1t has
been largely supplied in the numerous
surface working cultivators known as
weeders and used either as independ-
ent implements or attachments to the
ordinary farm cultivator. That they
have been the means of increasing the
output of the farm and orchard there
is no doubt.
But everything must not be expected
of the weeder. On large as well as
a small scale the best crops cannot be
raised unless the ground has been well
plowed and made thoroughly fine be-
fore seed is planted. The exact depth
OF blowing cannot be arbitrarily stated
for all sections of the country, as so
much depends upon the character of
the soil, the amount of moisture avail
able during the growing season and the
climate In general Broadly speaking,
u deep loamy soil in comparatively
warm latitude, as, for instance, that
of Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska and
the greater part of Illinois and Iowa,
will give the best results IL the land
Is turned up each year to d depth of
six, seven or even eight inches. or
course this deep blowing must not be
done at first. If the field has been
plowed from year TO year TO a depth
of five inches, go one inch deeper every
year, or, at least, every second year.
until the desired depth is reached.
In a dry country where the soil Is
very loose deep blowing will be a detri-
ment unless narrowing and compacting
are well done Go over the ground
with drag, harrow, disk or subsurface
packer until the clods have been bro
ken up and the loose ground Is compact
enough to keep the winds from steal
ing away the moisture. After this Is
done large storage reservoir has been
provided which will conserve moisture
during the early part of the growing
season and make 1t available for the
needs of the plants during July and
August.
All this work, however, will be of no
avail unless the upper two or three
inches are kept loose and light. Here
Is where the weeder or fine tooth cult.
vator comes in. 1t is light, easily op-
Grated and so large that a considerable
area of ground can be gone over In a
day. If corn has been planted and the
surface of the field becomes compacted,
follow the planter with the weeder II
the rains come and cake" the surface
before the corn appears, go on the field
as soon as it is dry enough and break
up this crust with the weeder. If
weeds start and another rain hardens
the surface before the corn Is big
enough for the regular cultivator, go
over 1t again with the weeder. The
small teeth can go close to the hill
without injuring 1t, thus breaking up
the hardened soil close to the plants.
The cultivation which is suitable for
corn applies to all field and garden
crops and not only can q weeder be
used where the grains or vegetables
are planted In rows, but in early spring,
when winter wheat and rye are several
inches high and the surface of the
ground is hard. the weeder can be run
over the fields with profit.
The foregoing applies particularly to
the deep. loamy soils. On cold. wet,
compact soils the blowing must not be
so deep, FIVE inches probably being the
limit. Moreover. 1t is not necessary TO
compact the ground after 1t has been
plowed. but thorough pulverization is
essential. and this can usually be ac-
complisbed by means of a disk or an
ordinary harrow. After all this has
been done the upper surface must be
kept loose by the use OF the weeder. as
Is the case with lighter and warmer
soils.
In orchards and small fruit planta-
tons the weeder has come to be an alb
solute necessity. In early spring the
ground between the rows Is plowed
and narrowed. and then every week or
ten days, depending upon the weather,
the weeder must be employed to keep
the surface free from weeds and loose
The fruit grower who attempts 10 get
along without frequent cultivation is
not progressive and in nine cases out
of ten will fail, says American Agricul-
turist, which presents the foregoing
view of the status of the weeder In
modern agriculture.