Evening journal., 1903-01-24

an ordinary matter to farmers, yet il
is the most important work preferred.
for the reason that the gowth of the
crop and the yield depend on the first
preparation of the soil The amount
of moisture, warmth and supply OF
plant food is regulated according TO the
capacity OF the soil to absorb retain
and yield to the crops the desired ele-
ment necessary to complete growth
The time has been when potatoes were
planted in the sod, first laying off the
rows and cuItivating the crops after
the plant appeared above ground, and
it may be added that good crops have
been secured in that manner. Never
theless better results have been OBJ
tanned when the land was plOwed and
then worked over until became fine. In
proof of the fact that the careful prep
aration Of the soil increases the yield.
it is well known that a garden plot will
produce more than a field, although the
land of the field may be fully as rich
in plant food as the garden plot, but
the difference is that the preparation
of the soil for a garden is usually
complete, and when the field is treat
ed in the same manner it will not fail
to show the effects of the better prep
araion. The foundation upon which
all good crops are built is the land, and
the beginning of the crop is when the
land is plowed.
Flowing the manure in is one method
Of working it into the SOIL but AL farm
ers do not plow their lands the same
depth or turn under their manure in
the same manner. If the manure is
put under too deep some time must
elapse before the roots of the young
plants will get to it. 1t will not be very
long before the plants will find the ma
nure and utilize it, but early in the yeal
it is very important that such crOI
as corn should get a good start, anC
the loss Of a week at the beginning mao
have an injurious effcct on the crOI
should the season come ON dry. If the
manure is spread on n surface. anC
then worked into ii @ h., > soil with a
harrow, the young plants Will be en-
abled to use them from the start, ant
the haIrow viii also render the sol
fine Two objects viii be accom-
plshod by so dOing-frst the manure
tself will be made finer; and. second
the fneuess Of the soil win result IL
better disintegation of the minera
elements existing therein. independent
ly of the manure, thus providing thu
plants with available food at the be
ginning. and also throughout the grow
ing season Manure that is p'owed un
: der will be very useful at the time tn
plants are maturing, but the more rapi'
the growth of the plants when younl
the greater their root power and feed
ing capacity.
: No crop should go into the groun
! until the soil is warm enough TO germi
! nate the seed Corn that begins Il
grow and is checked by cold rains, Ol
! cold soil, will be thrown back il
growth a week or two, or perhaps more
! and il is, therefore. better to wait
I few DAYS for the soil to become war;
. than to lose more valuable time 1
r growth later. The warmth will de
, pend upon the depth and ineness of tn
coil and its dryness. A well-plowe
/. field. that is properly drained win be
|. come warm several days sooner tha
one WHICH mas Detn plpNeu III a Ncis
: less manner. The air enters a pOrou
I soil, and the heat goes wherever th
air can enter. If the soil is fine tn
surplus water can be more easily cal
ried OF, as It passes down to the sui
soil AMI reaches the underdrains sOoI
= er, but If the moisture remains near II
= surfoce, by reason of shallow plo.win0
4 the land win be cold until the seaso
u opens very warm, at which season col
: should then be well under way. II
], rule should be to pillow as early Il
Il soil will permit, and keep it loose viii
e the harrow. 1t is an old remark thi
t no farmer can harrow a field too ofte
n It may add to The expense for labo
e but the crop will be better enabled
g. derive plant foods, moisture al
4 warmth, as the fine soil stores wat
r. that would be lost in summer on ha
n soils and gives it to the plants VIII
= il is most required.