The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1904-07-12

but first provide yourself with a lot of little pegs
about eight inches long and sharp at one end
and shaved white ON two sides, and have some one
to go along to carry your pegs. Put them in a
basket Or sack. Let him put one at the end of
the level where you begin and one at the front
foot, turning the white side in the direction you
are running always. Have peg placed at front
foot SO that you will make no mistake as to where.
your front foot was when you took up the level,
as a little variation will make considerable differ
ence on a long terrace.
When you have run out, get down and sight
along as far as you can see the pegs. If badly
crooked Gas they are apt to be if you have run
to your leveD move one of two up or down the
hill along all the way till you get back to your
starting point. Any way get the kinds out. If
you should have a certain place on the lower side
of your field that you want to run the water out
at, start there and run up the hill instead of
starting at the top. Keep the crooked places out
of your terraces and only have bows where the
lay of the land calls for them.
FLOWING OUT THE TERRACE LINE.
When done running off, take two horse pillow
and throw up terrace as high as you can; in the
meantime let some one follow and pick up pegs
as they will come in good some other time. Let
settle and take disk harrow and set disk that
throws dirt up to top SO that it will throw as
much as possible. Let the other disk run straight
Cf not making large banks), "a few rounds, and you
have a better bank than five men could throw up
in the same length of time. Of course the low
places will have to be shoveled up to a level with
the highest places, or they will break at them.
Terraces should have some fail, but a good deal
depends upon the lay of the land. AS to the
amount of fall we might say that half an inch to
Is feet with an occasional level.
LET THE BOTTOM ALONE.
The greatest trouble with those who first begin
to make terraces is that they pay too much at
tention to the bottom and not enough to the top
and bank, and the first thing they know they have
a full-fedged ditch. Get the bank, let the bottom
alone.
AS to working, if you want to, you can run your
rows with the terrace and plant on top of the
terrace, as the row on top will be the best in the
field. Some farmers run the rows straight across
them, but it is not a good idea, as the water is
carried too fast down against the bank and be-
cause of the poor strip of land that it makes by
drawing the soil from the lower side of the one
above and the pillow emptying everything off
against the bank where the water has to flow, to
say nothing about a careless hand cutting them
when crossing. With the rows running with the
terrace, this is all overcome, as every row carries
or holds more or less water that does not come
against the bank.
HOW CLOSE SHOULD THEY BE
Some farmers ask how close must they be put.
That all depends on the lay of the land and the
nature of the soil and the size of the bank. An
open soil would not need them as close as a stiff
clay soil, neither will a field that is just sloping
enough to wash a little as one that is more roll