Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-10-20
FALL PREPARATION OF LAND.

49, 49,
Owing TO q very unusual condition OF
the climate. the fail harvesting OF crops
win soon be entirely over. In many sec
tons Of the cotton belt the crops have
already been harvested and the farmers
can now turn their attention 20 the prep
aration OF their lands for the crops that
are TO be planted another year. Fail
plowfng, when properly done. Is an i'm
portant factor in the development OF the
crops 70 be planted and grown the follow
ing year. Ordinarily planters are so bust
" engaged with their cotton picking late
IN the season that no time Is left for fall
blowing before the winter rains set in 1t
IS extremely difficult 70 ind favorable
e weather after the first OF January in
which TO turn the land for spring plant
ing. All Of our red lands are generally
too wet to pillow. and even II the top
soil Is dry. the subsOil Is out OF condition.
The time for deep blowing. especially
turning. Is In the early fail October and
November are the best months, n time can
be devoted 20 that purpose. Usually the
top and bottom soils are in first-class
condition for handling az this period Of
OF the year. The fertilizer bin Is a heavy
one. especially 20 Georgia farmers, and
this condition can be materially cut down
A. our lands are placed in better con-
dition for tillage- There is a large guam
tity Of natural plant food lying dormant
tn our soils which can be made useful
under proper methods OF preparation and
cultivation Not only is this true OF good
tillage. but II our lands are plOwed deeply
IN the fail and put I'm condition to hold
the winter rains. the dreadful ravages
OF drought in the summer which proved
50 disastrous this year in many sections
can be checked to a great extent. The
hard pan beneath the top soil, which can
be easily found IN any field az a depth
OF about four inches. ought to be broken
through. Once through that hard pan
the lower soil begins 10 soften up the
deeper we dig down. This hard pan pre-
vents the rains from descending and
forces the water on the fields. instead Of
into the ground as II should go. No
water win flow OF q field after a hard
rain where the land has been broken OF
SUFFICIENT depth 20 allow the water 10 pen
citrate Aside from this. the finer the
pulverization OF the soil. the more readily
II viii yield up it's natural elements OF
plant food II our fields could be made
like an ashbank. our crops would be from
twice 70 four times as good as they now
are on the average.
The time. then. 10 begin preparation for
the next crop Is now. and on during the
next ninety days Do all the blowing
possible. and do "a with the proper kinds
OF implements. displaying at the same
time the right kind Of judgment. It makes
no difference IL the top soil breaks up in
heavy clods. they VIII all have melted
down BY next spring OF course it Is hard-
er work on the teams. pulling them in
land that breaks up clOddy. but IL is bet
ter 70 break IN clods during the fall than
not TO break at all
Turning and SUb-SoiIinp.
In the great wheat producing states
Of the northwest. the Dak0tas. Minnesota
and others. the farmers always turn their
lands in October They use double disc
plows. drawn by six large Percheron
horses hitched abreast 10 each piow.
have seen as many as six OF these teams
at work I'm one field. The land Is turned
20 a depth OF from Il 70 IS inches. harrow
ed and eft 10 stand the winter rains and
freezes. Until the following spring plant
ing OF grain. OF course when such land
thaws out Il Is in prime condition 10 pro-
duce the best yields possible from thor
ough preparation. We need more OF such
blowing In the south. A single disc IS
the best implement fo- this purpose ex-
cept on large plantations. where stock
Is plentiful Ordinarily q field should be
turned 10 depth OF i've or six inches the
first year. not throwing too much Of the
clay on top The disc turner could be fol-
lowed IN the same furrow with a subsoiler
and going as deep as the two mules could
pull f. This win give depth. pulveriza-
ton. and viii also turn our soils as deep
~ as is necessary or advisable. except on
lands which have already been turned for
several years. After turning and sub
soiling for a few hours the harrow should
be put on and the suhsofl Just turned up
should be pulverfZed 10 a finish 10 prevent
hardening and cementing. II the red clay
IS turned up and left 10 harden. the field
may be In a worse FIX the following spring
than II the blowing had been left alone.
particularly II the subsoil Is damp or very
moist These are important matters which
each farmer must notice and guard
against.
When we undertake to handle our lands
as they should be. more than ordinary
intelligence must be exercised. In other
words the work must be done right. else
nature viii not respond as she should. II
requires three good mules or horses to
pull a disc pl0w. and on two horse farms.
Il would more convenient and cheaper
70 use the double horse turner. In gray
sandy lands. the risk OF deep turning Is
nothing ike 50 great as on our red lands
on very sandy soils doubt the advisable
fty OF deep turning at all. IL the land is
not turned in the fan. Il Is rare that the
seasons are dry enough TO do the work
without risk after Xmas. The question OF
labor mas become a serious one on many
farms. and II the land can be put into
good condition for the next years crop
this fall. less help can be employed to
plant and cultivate the same number OF
acres. as would be required II no prepar-
alton Is made. and the land left untouched
through the winter months. Not only is
this true. but the winter rains falling on
unbrOkcn land washes the soil badly. and
many tons OF valuable ground IS carried
mN hsmw ~nNHw -
southern soils are rolling or billy. and Il
IS in these sections especially where deep
blowing and good terraces pay a splendid
dividend on the inves tment- Worn. washed
soils are becoming a common sight over a