Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-01-22
USEFUL BULLETIN
ON BREAKING
SOD LAND


Number two of "TaiEs 10 Dry
Farmers" the bulletin issued by Prof.
}. u Tinaloy If the Agricultural coll
lIegc experiment station Is on thu
iauhleet Of "Breabing % Land q
topic thar wii be OF wide interest
among the fnrmers The bulletin fol-
lows
There yet remains in New Mexico
"a large nron Of virgin soil 20 be brok-
IN. ana of this the grcater part ~
what is generally called sod land al
though much of II bears az most q
VERY night sod For many years to
come there VIII b. q large amount Of
this virgin land to be- broken each
year. ana FOR this reason the handling
of sod land ~ a matter ~ much m
p%ortancc. For centuries the sed land
In New Mexico has bccm beaten and
compactod by dashing rains, and for
many years has been trampod by eat
tic. sheep ana horses with the result
that the aurfaee has been packed 20
firmly that II ls now almost water
proof, as ie shown by the large amount
uf wntcf running or after the rains
.ThiH compact surface Is also very In.
.Norabln 20 evaporation, 10 that thf
land rapidly Losses tho little moisture
TINT II nhsorbs Because the water
penetrntcs SLOWLY. nnd cvaporatcf
quickly. sod land usually contain
much less moisture thnn land which
has been cultivated Crops plante'
on sod land do not have . supply o.
a-. t a.. aAII f. 1yn fff
On. Ao much. depends on the moisture
that falls during their growing sea
son. For this reason crops on sod
land are uncertain, and n should
not be discouraged when the yields
are poor,
There arc 10 many methods Of treat
Ing sod land that II IN difficult 10 say
which II the beat, especially as e.
much depends on the teams and ma
chinery at the disposal of the farmer
The subject may be roughly divided
under two heads. Early Breaking ant
Late breaking.
ilarIy Breaking.
Under this head will be classed al
breaking that IL done several month
before the ground is 10 be planted \
The best time for early breaking u
the summer as the grass ano |
other vegetation will be fun OF mois
tnre ana this. with the combined IN
nuenee of the hent and moisture 10
the soil win cause the sod to rot
most rapidly. The looscning OF the
aoil Mt this time. win also allow the
rain 10 soak into the soil instead Of
running OFF. The loosened surface |
provided that Il Is properly fined, will
act as d mulch and retain tho mois-
turc This curly loosening Of tn,
soil aud The rapid decay of the vcge |
matter favor changes In the sol
which Increase It's fertility
Depth of Flowing.
when land Ia broken early, It Is SAT,
to pillow deeper than when Il ls broker |
late. because the soil viii have time e
settle firmly back against the bottom
OF the mrrow ana TO establish capil |
larry connection with the lower part
~ the soil before the time OF plant
ing The farmer need not fear tina
be viii turn up unproductive soil by
deep blowing for as a rule there u
no marked difference In the pfoduc
t%iycness Of tho upper and lower layers
In tho soils of New Mexico There
are practically no subsoils In New
Mexico. using the term suhsoil In IN,
sense that is generally applied To I
IN the humid regions Pillow as dcepl, |
rs possible Twelve inches would not |
BE- too deep on tieht land if It eould
be- done. Six to eight inches is rs
as It should be- done to cal
ID deem breaking
peep breaking is one of the secrets
lf success Ia dry farming. II opens
up u volume of soil sufficiently thicl
10 catch ana hold the heavy showers.
ina also provides room FOR the de-
'elopmcnt at plant roots
II b. very important that the iant
be- thoroughly turned, and the SOD
brown To- the bottom 81 the furrow
When the land is plowcd. the sur
face should ho partly fined Il should
act be worked down as fine as for q
.ecd bod. but the larger clods should
be- broken az. IT tho surface were
too fine the land would crust
md also might not Doe sufficiently an.
O. catch drifting SHOWS The
Martial dining OF tho surface should
81 done nt once The best rule Is g.
WORK down what has hoen plowed in
ne morning before going TO dinner
md the afternoon blowing before GO
ne tn supper. Never turn land and
cave u rough Co hc fined whom break
has been finished or Go be- weather
i as in the humid region ohserva-
ions FOR the past three winters on
and broken and lot rough have
quite %cenclusively that land &C.
was Az dry n not drier In
.prinr than unbrukcn sod
lu early deep breaking, tho sub
urfaoo packer may De run after the
blow but tho soil would probably set
De- without 70 and its usc Is not SEQ
essential as in the cast of hate break
ns The disc is probably the best
for ihe partial filming las il not
cuts ZAP tho ciods but also packs
son coNldrfAta& ".N.~a~. So. N
iot available. the ground should be
okcr with "a spike-toothed drag
OF with some form OF drag
The land may be- allowed TO stan boz
condition until spring and then
u a seed bed The method or
'arl deep breaking that has been de-
'efibed requires heavy teams and CON
labor but IL will pay.
Where deep breaking rs impossible
sod MAY be turned three Inches
lr more. and allowed 10 he over win