Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1905-01-05
KEEP LAND ROLLED.


If one has ever gone through a farm
ing country in the blowing season lit.
tile observation showed him that there
are two quite distinct differences in the
matter of handling and managing
plowed land. For instance. one
man plows his soil and at
least once a day rolls it down; il the
day is Very hot he will frequently level
the forencon's work. before leaving the
i'ela fsr noon. and at night roll down
the afternoons blowing. On the other
hand there are men who never do the
thing in its proper place. When they
begin to pillow they continue to turn the
land until the field is completed. Then
they perhaps turn to tho roller or some
other tmrlement i1 smooth and level
Tie soil for the crop hat is TO follow.
These TWO men have followed two diff
ferent courses. The former has
plowed his land. but by regular rolling
has conlpacted the soil and retained its
moisture so far us possible. The latter
has turned his soil up to the sun to be
scorched and dried until 1T Is little bet-
ter than AN ash heap when the time for
seeding is at hand
Even this wear; with the vast
amount of surface water that has bur
dened farmers this past season, there
is need of care of the fu.rowed land.
Before land is fit for the plow it must
have reached Il certain dryncsS, conse-
quently the soil will contain No more
waiet than III mas previously when the
blowing of the same season has been
done. In other words without amy re-
gard to the abundance of surface water
that might have been at hand ut one
time. ii must pe reduced to IL certain
extent before Tho land IL worked Neut
IN and year out this standard does not
Vary greatly and only means that IL
dr. III I,,l,
or August, IN spite OF the Mater that
might have been present during the
preceding winter or early spring. There
fore the STRONG ACCESSIBILITY OF guarding
all of the moisture that the soil CON
tains at the time of blowing. This cam
he done in am appreciable degree by
keeping the powed land compact by
rolling as soon after the blowing as
practicable.
Frequently we find that the farmei'
dose not understand the matter of Wa
Ter retention. There are different meth
DDS followed under Varying circllm-
stances and these in Il measure seem OF
contradictory nature. For instance,
why should VI he recommended that
burrows be rolled ut once To retain
moisture and worked AT another llm2
for the same purpose As matter of
fact the only explanation is that eithe'
pla', Is one of convenience. Few men
WIN work land us fast as ii is ploWed,
though There is no doubt it would be
better for tho land than roilins. Con-
sequently whore n field viii lie i'm the
furrow until All is plowed II is highly
advisable to roll down the plowed pnlt
and Keep IL as him MS practicable so
as to prevent undue evaporation. Past
experience has demonstrated to those
who have carefully followed the matter
that land so rlowed ana compacted is
much superior in condition To that
which has been furrowcd and then al
lowed TO lie in the sun until every par
ticle OF available water has been eval,-
Grated
We have used the expression .'rolled',
for the reason that the roller is the
popular implement among farmers.
Some weeks ago We discussed the con-
struction of u plank lump crusher and
I'm certain cases advised it's use in
stead OF the roller. In the case of 10y
cling iurroWs we believe. that tho
clnshcr Is superior generally To the
roller, ~ We pointed out in Dun dis
cussion of the matter ut that time.
This Implement. sometimes called n
lloat, VIII ansWer all ihe purposes OF
the roller and in addition leave the land
in Il more c0npactcd condition oldi
nalilN and has 4 inlikcel Sllpelori y
IN the case With Wheh it may re
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