The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-10-16

Of single vigorous cornstalk were
| placed end to end they would reach
more than mile, and if allowed by
the plowing they will fill the soil to
considerable depth and feed in all
portions Of it.
The Root System Of Co11.
At the Wisconsin Agricultural E1-
pertinent Station it was found that
when corn was 8 feet high the roots
had penetrated the soil for 2 feet and
thoroughly occupied it. At maturity
the roots were feet deep. At this
time the upper laterals were about
4 inches from the surface.
At the North Dakota Agricultural
Experiment Station the corn roots
had penetrated 3 1-2 feet deep and
fully occupied the ground ninety days
after planting.
At the Minnesota Agricultural Ex-
pertinent Station the corn roots had
penetrated II inches deep and had
spread laterally Is inches eighteen
days after planting. In most portions
Of the South nothing less than an
8-inch seed bed will insure eeen a
fair corn crop, and 10 inches is safer.
Some soils may require more. From
! 6 to 8 inches of preparation for cot
ton corresponds to s and 10 inches for
corn, so far as the requirements of
the plant are concerned.
What is Deep Flowing?
Flowing 3, 4, 5, Or 6 inches deep
{ is only common blowing In our in
structions nothing less than 8 inches
is considered "deep" plowing. We
are not advocating a single plowing
Of 8 inches in depth once in two or
three years, but the prepartion Of an
8-inch seed bed thoroughly pulveriz-
ed and filled with humus. It should
be plowed and cross plowed to that
depth, or if cross plowing can not be
safely done on account Of hills then
it 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 cover crop Of oats, bar
ley, wheat. or rye. if possible. Every
observant farmer has noted that seeds
germinate more quickly and that
plants grow more rapidly on fall
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 every
thing on the farm is crowding. A
cover crop is net gain. It keeps the
soil from washing, utilizes the plant
food that otherwise might escape into
the air, and it adds humus. The soil
is improved by the crop and winter
grazing is provided. In plowed land
the plant food is less than in unplow-
ed land; more plant food may be pro-
duced and more can be stored. In
case a cover crop is used the loss of
plant food is slight.
An objection is sometimes urged
that fall-plowed soil becomes saturat-
, ed with water during the winter and
remains wetter and colder later in the
spring that land left unbroken in the
fall. This is true only upon land not
sufficiently drained and where the
breaking is shallow. Water passes
through deep breaking readily, and
with reasonable drainage it is ready
for planting earlier than lands brok-
en- in the spring.
When land is nearly level and
drainage poor. the soil should not be
flat-broken. bat lett IN ridges or mar
row lands about or feet wide.
suitable for planting, with dead
furrow between. This provides win
ter drainage and keeps the pulverized
soil out Of the water. which is i'm
portant even if unbroken.
Deepening the Soil.
The advice to go 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
scooter with sides removed) and 60
down as deeply as desired. Generally
the disk plow may be sent down s or
10 inches with impunity if the plow-