The Southern farm gazette. (Starkville, Miss.) 1895-1909, 1908-12-12
Why the Southern Farmer Does Not
Plow Deeper.

pillow as deeply in the South az is done in many
other sections of the world.
why Is this7
II In not because do not know that those
soils which producing large crops arc piowcd
much deeper than three or four inches which Ia
a greater depth than tho average Southern farmer
plows. We know that sandy soils. and clay aolls
and loan sofia and woiis of Whatsoever sor,. no
matter where located what kind of crops they
are growing. which regularly grow heavy crops
arc regularly plo~ed from six to twelve inches
deep
II We generally con tnccd that plowing eight
inches deep IL better than thr.e.lnch pio~inE Why
do 40 generally adhere to the shaiiowcr depths
in our everyday pracsiceT
Tho reason IL simple. yet fundamental. To piow
eight inches deep. sir inches In our heavier
soils requires moro power than 40 have available
TO put To our plo~a. To talk 10 III. ono horse
farmer about blowing eight inches. or ovon slI
inches. In simply waste of effort because IL IL
attacking tho p~cba~m nj tho wrong rnd. wo arc
already. moe, of us. convinced of tho advantages
of deeper plowinE. but too many Of us lack tho
horse ar mule power tn po~ deeper. Tho great
n~~si at tho southern farmer TODAY u,osr farm
work stsck. When ho learns tha, good and eco.
notnical farming cannot be done wlsh oue horse
thcn hn may try 20 increase his ~ork stock snd
learn how - hanai. H. whrn h1 does that land
ia sime he ~l certainly do ~. then no viii pio~
deeper
To rlnw any but our tlEht-a, aolla ossA, inrhss
deep requires at least tao animals Weighing rot
lcas than i.soo pounds. and in tho heavy soils
three such animals wni DO necessary. with ono
soo-pouna horse or mule. dccp pio~ing IL not
practicable: In fact 10 impossible. no matter ho~
important H. may DO.
VIII The need for moro horses and nsuio@. In or
der ia do better piowing aud make farming more
| rcmuncraus~. appeal To our farmers with sui.
aeirnt force TO bring ahou, tho necessary Increase
t.
| about 40 believe thofc must DO new sentiment;
created and nos ideas attained regarding the
place Of Tive stock on tho farm.
II all were ahie 60 purchase tho necessary work
stock tho intelligence Of tho farmer might be
trusted 10 lead him into buying what vas beat for
him. but tho average farmer never Was and never
all he. able TO buy snscien, work stock to do tho
| beet farming How then IL he To got IT.
The ready remedy of those ~ho do not ,hink be-
fore They speak In. Why raise IL. of course" Tha,
advice IL easily given. bu, not easily followed
To raise live stock requires feed for live stock
| tiow many Southern stasra produc. enough feed
To supply all the live stock within their bordornr
Aa long feed for 1.-Two stock IN shipped into q
State those farmers Of that Stat. who produce feed
wIll probably ind 1, moro profitable To sell feed
and buy live stock. for tho frciEh, 900 pounds
of horse ncah In lcss than the feed which Ia rc-
quired TO produce It.
| The solution then OF tho whole probiem--thc
solution of the deeper blowing needs To grow
more feed for live stock. when all the feed need
ed for our live stock IL grown and a surplus for
our neighboring States having largo cities then
will IL be- found profitable To give of this sur
plus feed 10 additional 1.-Two stock. and with more
live stock deeper blowing will be made easy
| To put the matter In n sentence, TO get deeper
blowing must have better farm work stock;
and we shall not get these until We begin to grow
more feed for them.
| Concerning this discussion of deeper blowing
there In fact that has not been given sufficient
| emphasis. IL In the most important matter con
nected with deep blowing. and IL overlooked the
chief IL not the only real. benefit from deep pillow
| ing IN lost IL has been pointed ont that eight