The Springfield herald., 1907-03-29
PREPARATION
OF SEED BED
HINTS FOR THE PLAINS
BY w. H. OLIN, Agronomist Colorado
Experiment Station, Ft. Collins.

Crop conditions in eastern Colorado
are so different from crop conditions in
the humid region that special attention
should be called to them for the benefit
of the new settler.
The very best system of tillage may
fail to produce crop some years, but
proper soil management and use of ac-
climated seed adapted to prevailing
conditions tend to render crop failures
less frequent and harvests therefore
more remunerative.
In the farming operations Of many
parts of eastern Colorado, where irri-
cation cannot be practiced, the amount
of water available to plants is the "lim-
iting condition of success" as Prof.
Failyer calls it. Here is found abund-
ance of cheap land, quite fertile, and
water is the element that must be most
carefully conserved to insure crop.
No rain water must be allowed to run
to waste if possible to store it in the
soil. Rains on the plains are usually
quick, dashing rains and the seed bed
should be in such tith that both upper
soil and subsoil will readily absorb the
water which falls during the crop seas
on.
The preparation of the seed bed calls
for careful plowing, narrowing and sub
surface packing.
Experience demonstrates that the
preparation of the soil reservoir (seed
bedD of good depth several months be-
fore seeding. the thorough culture of
this ground before and after seeding,
are essentials that very largely deter
mine success in eastern Colorado. Sum-
mer tillage conserves moisture while it
renders more plant food available,
keeps down weeds, and keeps soil in
good tilth.
Preparing New Ground for Spring
Seeding. 1t is always questionable
practice to crop newly broken sod in a
dry year. The sod usually contains but
little moisture and the process of break
ing causes one to lose an appreciable
portion of it. Suggestive plan: Plow
sod land not less than three nor more
than FIVE inches deep, turning sod down
as fiat as possible, and thus prevent its
drying out too soon. Follow as closely
with disc harrow as practicable, and
this with some form of packer, either
single or double roll. This will level
the sod land above, and firm the soil in
the lower portion of the furrow slice,
restoring the capillarity where plowing
has arrested it. This firmed under-sur-
| face soil is thus enabled to draw moist
ure from below, and give good normal
root development. Follow up the pack
er with either an acme or good
smoothing harrow to produce a good
earth mulch to arrest surface capillari-
ty and check evaporation of soil mois-
ture. Follow with the seeder. All
small grain must be drilled in with
press wheeled drill, followed up with
good spike-tooth or smoothing harrow.
! 1t is almost necessary that all tillage
operations on sod be with the burrows
rather than across them to avoid tear
ing up the sod and drying out your seed
bed. Do not seed broadcast, Make
each tillage operation thorough-plow
ing, discing, firming, narrowing, and
seeding.
When the new crop is up, cross har-
row to prevent the formation of crust
and giving the young crop cultivation.
Follow up each rain with a good har-
rowing as long as character of crop will
permit.
I Early in June prepare seed bed for
the fall and following springs seeding.
/. Try to hereafter seed only on ground
which has been given Summer cul-
ture" treatment.
Remember that roots of all cultivated
crops make their best growth when you
provide:
A firm mellow
A warm mellow Soil well supplied
A ventilated with plant food.
I A moist
| Methods of farming which conserve
the moisture, prepare good seed bed,
reduce the evaporation to as near the
minimum as possible, use good vital ac-
climated seed, employ crop rotation
which has stock foods prominent, con-
tain at least one money crop, and prac-
tice thorough tillage of the ground, of
ten tide the farmer over bad years and
insure his success in good years.