The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1909-07-15

United States Bureau of Plant Indus
try:
In parts of Lincoln county, Wash
ington, where early surface cultivation
is practiced the blowing is usually
done just as late as possible. No other
cultivation is then given. The summer
fallow often lies over until spring be-
fore it is sown to wheat, and it is
thought best to have it pass through
the winter in a rough and cloddy con-
dition. The reason for this is the
same as that given in discussing the
first method of summer following, viz,
to keep the soil from running together
so much during the winter.
In most other localities where dix
ing in the early spring is practiced,
the blowing is usually done from four
to six weeks after the land has been
disked and narrowed The land is
plowed in the order in which it is
disked, and the harrow closely follows
the pillow. 1t is usually the aim to do
enough subsequent cultivation to keep
the weeds subdued Some realize the
Importance of cultivation to retain
moisture, even though the land may
be reasonably free from weeds. The
writer knows of summer fallow land
that received six and eight cultiva-
lions.
There is much to commend this
method. The disking and narrowing
in the early spring before blowing
form loose mulch on the entire area
to be summer fallowed much more
quickly than it could be plowed. This
saves a great deal of moisture, for the
land plowed last often becomes very
dry when blowing is the first opera
ton.
Killing off the Weeds.
Most weed seeds terminate best it
not covered very deeply. When lying
on the surface of the ground the pillow
often covers them so deeply that they
do not terminate until turned up near
the surface again by subsequent plow-
ing. Early surface cultivation covers
these seeds lightly and gives them a
chance to terminate before the blowing
is done. The pillow then destroys a
crop of weeds, usually heavy one. In
this way practically all of the weed /
seed of the previous seasons crop may
be terminated before blowing and
clean surface soil turned under.
Early surface cultivation also causes
it more mellow and freer from clods.
This is especially noticeable where
roads have been made through the
fields in the fall in hauling out the
grain. Some farmers have formed the
habit of narrowing these roads in the
early spring, having learned it's value
accidentally by dragging the harrow to
and from the fields. A great deal of
in nj ino Ion
covered with heavy stubble. Disking
before blowing breaks the stubble
down, partially covers it, and gets it
into such condition that the pillow turns
it under much better than if the disk
ing had been omitted. If the blowing
is not delayed too long it turns up
moist, mellow earth.
The immediate use of the harrow is
to settle and pulverize the SOIL This
condition of the soil is favorable to
the conservation of moisture and the
termination of the weed seed turned
up by the plow Later cultivation de-
stroys this crop of weeds and helps to
retain moisture. The more moisture
retained in the soil while following
the greater will be the decomposition
of the stubble and other organic mat
ter Chemical action in the soil is also
favored, thus providing more mineral
plant food.
1t will be seen that practically all of
the soil turned by the pillow can be
cleaned reasonably well from weed
seed. The thorough cultivation before
blowing cleans the surface soil before
it is turned under and the subsequent
cultivation cleans that which is turned
up to the surface. In this way clean
seed he'd is obtained Men who are