The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-10-28

more than mile. and II allowed by
the blowing they will all the soil to .
considerable depth and feed In AL
portions Of II.
The Root s. stem OF Corn.
At the Wisconsin Agricultural Ex-
pertinent Station 1t was found that
when corn was feet high the rots
had penetrated the soil for feet and
thoroughly occupied 1t. At maturity
the roots were 4 feet deep. At this
time the upper laterals We're about 4
inches from the surface.
Experiment Station the corn roots had
penetrated 3 1-2 feet deep and fully
occupied the ground ninety days at
ter planting.
At the Minnesota Agricultural EX-
pertinent Station the corn roots had
penetrated 12 inches deep and had
spread laterally Is inches eighteen
days after planting. In most por-
tions Of the South nothing less than
an S-inch seed bed will insure even
q fair corn crop. and 10 inches Is
safer. Some soils may require more.
From to inches Of preparation for
cotton corresponds to 8 and 10 inches
for corn. 90 far as the requirements
Of the plant are concerned.
What Ia Deep Flowing?
Flowing 3. 4. S or 9 inches deep in
only common plowing. In our In
structions nothing less than inches
10 considered deep" plowing. We
are not advocating single plowing
Of 9 inches In depth once in two or
three years. but the preparation OF an
s-inch seed bed thoroughly pulverized
and nlled with humus. It should be
plowed and cross plowed to a depth.
or II cross plowins cannot be safely
done on account OF hills. then 1t
should be 'plowed twice In the same
direction and disked, thoroughly or
the smoothing harrow repeatedly
used.
When should This Flowing Be Done?
Always plow In the fall before the
winter rains set in: the earlier after
the first OF October the better. AL
ways use q cover crop Of oats. barley.
wheat or rye. II possible. Every OBJ
servant farmer has noted that seeds
terminate more quickly and that
plants grow more rapidly on fall
breaking than, on spring breaking.
Fall plowing renders more plant food
ready for use. while the preparation
Of the land In the fall saves work in
the spring. when everything on the
farm is crowding. A cover crop is q
net gain. 1t keeps the soil from wash
Ing. II utilizes the plant food that 9TH
erwise might escape into the air. and
II adds humus. The soil Is improved
By the crop and more grazing is pro-
vided. In plowed land the loss Of
plant food Is less than in unplowed
land; more plant food may be produc-
cd and more can bs stored. In case
q cover crop is used the loss of plant
food IL slight.
An objection is sometimes urged
that fali-plowed soil becomes saturat-
ed with water during the winter and
remains wetter and colder later In
the spring than land left unbroken in
the fall. This Is true only upon land
not sufficiently drained and where the
breaking Ia shallow. Water passes
through deep breaking readily. and
with reasonable drainage 1t Is ready
for planting earlier than lands broken
In the spring. y
When land Is nearly level and
drainage poor. the soil should not be
but left In ridges or mar
row lands about or 8 feet wide,
suitable for planting. with dead fur
row between. This provides winter
drainage and keeps the pulverised soil
out OF the water. which IL important
even IL unbroken.
Deepening the Soil.
The advice to so down gradually is
given solely because the inexperienced
farmer may try to plow too deeply
the FIRST time and bring to the surface
too much Of the subsoil. The best
plan Is to double plow: that is. TO
follow the breaking plow in the same
furrow with narrower plow or a
scooter with sides removed) and go
down as deeply as desired. Generally
the disk plow may be sent down s or