Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1906-04-28


ture. The only implement recon-
mended which farmers do not gener-
ally have in use on their farms is the
sub-surface packer. The use of the
packer is most essential on late
spring blowing when the purpose is
to plant at once after plOwing. 1t is
not so necessary to use the sub-surface
packer on fall plowing which is not
intended to be planted until the fol-
lowing spring, but for the sowing of
fall wheat, if the plowing precede
the sowing by a very short interval,
the sub-surface packer may be used
advantageously. Where the land is
allowed to lay for considerable peri
planted. the settling of the soil to-
gether with the cementing due to the
rain. usually causes the soil to repack
and firm-up to sufficient extent to
make good seedbed.
The sub surface packer is a hard
running machine and 1t costs much
more to use it than it does to use
the common harrow or even the disk
harrow. Thus at the Kansas Expert
practice of early plowing whenever it
can be done, in preference to sub-snr-
face packing, using the harrow i'm
mediately after blowing. The prin-
ciple, however, In the use of the sub
surface packer is correct, and the
lighter the soil and the greater its
tendency to remain loose and mellow
the more necessary it is to make use
of the sub-surface packer or similar
implement in order to prepare a prop
er seed bed. Also in the plowing
! under of trash or manure sub-surface
packing by puiverizing the bottom of
| the furrOw slice sifts the soil through
/ the course trash and causes better
union with the sub-soil below, so that
the capillary water may be drawn up
! into the surface soil, whereas if a
/ heavy coat OF stubble or MANURE
/ plowed under in that way is left with
out packing or pulverizing. the fur
row slice is apt to dry out and the
crop that is growing on the land may
1 be injured by short interval of dry
weather.
By setting the disks rather straight
and weighing the harrow disk har-
row may be used as a substitute for a
sub-surface packer. In mellow, trashy
ground its work is some what similar,
resl.lting IN pulyerizIng and frinlng
effect at the bottom of the furrow
slice. Very often, however, good plow-
ing with the proper use of the COM
mon harrow may largely accomplish
the results required in carrying out
the Campbell system of culture.
Some types of soil can be plowed
deeper than others and, as rule, I
believe in deep plowing at least every
few years. The deeper loosening of
the soil not only makes a larger reser-
voir to catch the rain but it gives
more room in which the soil bacteria
may develop and prepare the plant
food. 1t is known now that certain
bacteria in the soil have much to do
with the preparation of the food for
the plant, and experiments have
shown that these bacteria are found
largely in the surface six to nine
inches of the soil, or in that part of
the soil which is turned by the pillow
deep blowing favors the development
of these bacteria and the preparation
of more available plant-food than is
the result from shallow plowing. 1t
may not be best to plow deep every
year, sometimes shallow plowing will
doubtless give better results and oc-
casionally it is best not to plow at all.
The depth and frequency of blowing
Will vary according to the nature of
the soil, light or sandy soil requires
less depth of plowing and less fire.
Equent plowing than a heavy, compact,
clay or gumbo soil. This fact should
be borne In mind, that when the land
is plowed deep it is necessary to re-
establish the capillary connection OF
the soil with the sub-soil and prepare
a good seeded condition by the meth
ods described above in order that un-
favorable results may not come from
the deeper plowing.
The principle of loosening the sur
face of the soil and keeping mulch
of mellow soil in order to break the
capillary movement of water and pre-
vent its evaporation is well recogniz-
ed by farmers generally and is prac-
ticed to a greater or less extent in the
cultivation of all kinds of crops. In
the Campbell system of culture the