Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-11-10
FAIL FARMING.

.
The general impression Of the people
the fan Is not a period OF completion
but is the beginning OF our years work
While the spring marks the bursting
forth OF the buds into blossom, these
buds were made ready FOR the process
during the previous season.
schools and colleges open in the fall
Meetings and conventions suspended
during the warm season resume their
sessions. Festivities OF the cold season
are approaching. The people are get
ting ready for the winters work and
social activities
The recent change in farming meth
DDS brings into a clearer light the ne
cessity Cor autumn's work In general
and Tor agricultural fall work in par
ticular.
when a farmer supposes that he
should not begin farming operations
until the spring opens he IS making a
great mistake. The fail work OF soil
preparation Is almost essential 70 the
best agriculture. especially within the
Rocky Mountain plateau.
A Wisconsin farmer, W. D. NeaIe,
points out that fall blowing, for in
stance. gives the farmer plenty Of time
to do his work in the spring OF the year
He may spend much Of the time I'm
instead Of blowing In the field. Then
too. he Is almost certain 10 get into
his field earlier; and while his neigh
Dor Is blowing his ground, he may be-
planting his crop, and it is the early
crop that usually yields the most
Especially during such a rall as we
htfve had this year. many of the weed
seeds will sprout after the soil has
been turned over them by plow and
harrow. Most OF these weeds viii then
be killed by the winter frosts; and the
farmer will thus be relieved in ad-
vance OF one great source OF loss and
labor
Just now the various agricultural ex-
pertinent stations are calling the at
tention Of farmers to the advantages
OF blowing their land in the fall
In msister climates the ACCESSIBILITY
OF fall plowing is said to depend on
the soil and the season. II the soil IL a
clay or gumbo. fall pIowing will not
be beneficial, for during the freezing
and thawing period il Will run together
again and be about as Arm as before
blowing II the soil is firm. dark
kind. fall blowing win be helpful 20
81. as II viii be mellowed by the thaw-
tt4ar ~.
Spring grain grown on such win secure
better and an earlier matured crop
than when the land Is broken In the
spring.
So. too there IL little gained By fall
blowing IL the winters are not cold
enough to freeze the ground to the
depth of several inches II there are
frequent rains during the winter and
no freezing, the soil Is likely TO pack
and become hard.
Few OF these conditions apply TO the
seni-aIid West, whore the average soil
- most likely 90 be improved BY any
sort Of stirring In the fall. The main
object here 10 b put the land into the
condition Of a sort OF reservoir to hold
the winter and spring rainfall And
since the vast majority OF Gus land
areas are too dry, the precautions
against fan blowing apply only to WEI
landa
OF course. for dry farming. land
must be plowed either in summer or
autumn; Otherwise It Will not contain
sufficient moisture stored away be
nsath its surface 10 support paying
crop the next season. And In view Of
the fact that 50 much has recently
been discovered about the possibilities
OF our Western farming, We should
think that small trials of a variety OF
methods would be made by intelligent
farmers In order 10 ascertain Just
what Is the best way OF treating their
fertile heritage.
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