American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1909-02-27

much trash to be turned under the
field should be disked before 1t is
plowed. This will provide for layer
OF fine dirt in the bottom of the fur
row, which win pack down closely
and help to restore capillarity.
II the furrow turns up shiny" or
shows any tendency to bake into clods
1t should be narrowed every half day,
or every day at least. This seems like
a great deal of extra work, but If
harrow is kept in the field it does not
the newly plowed strip just before
I quitting for noon or night. A few
minutes snant IN narrowing at such
/ times will pulveriZe the ground more
/ than hours of work after it has be-
! come dry and baked.
The fall plowing will usually need to
/ be gone over with the disk to get it in
shape for planting. The superior con-
4 dition obtained by double 6isking-
that is, letting the disk ''lap half"-will
! more than pay for the extra labor.
/ There is an additional advantage in
that the surface is left smooth. Disk
ing spring blowing is seldom neces-
sary.
In cases where improper plowing has
left field cloddy the roller may often
be used to advantage. A corrugated
roller is better for this purpose than a
smooth. one, as it tends to crush the
clods rather than to simply push them
down into the finer dirt. A home
made "planker' or clod crusher will
often answer the purpose as well as q
roller.
The roller packs the ground consid
erably and so quickens the capillary
rise of water. If the surface is left
smooth much of the moisture that
and later in the season the crop vii
be likely TO suffer from drought TX
avoid this the roller should be follow
ed Immediately by the harrow.
This loosens a thin layer of surface
soil. When the capillary water reach
es this loose layer its rise is checked
and comparatively little is lost by evap
Grafton. For this same reason it i
often well to harrow fall blowing a
soon as it is dry enough in the spring
especially if disking is not to be don
until late.
After the ground is plowed and disk
ed the harrow must be used to com
plete the preparation for planting
There are many kinds of harrOws, bu
none that are better than the ordinar.
! spike tooth. These are made in a.
. STYLES and sizes. The harrow is eco
! nomical to use, since 1t gets owe
ground so rapidly. The best time t
,, harrow in order to pulverize the soil i
Immediately after light shower. Tn
little clods will then be softened an
will be easily knocked to pieces. I
kill weeds, however. it is better to wal
until the soil is little drier, as hal
rowing a wet field will transplant th
weeds rather than destroy them.
Do not be afraid to harrow too mucf
No work that you can put on fiel
pays better. No other implement wi
kill as many weeds In so short a tim,
and no other machine will tear clods {
pieces so rapidly. A field well plowe
! and disked and narrowed until it is /
! ! as fine tilth as 1t is possible to make
is an ideal seed bed. Seed planted 1
such a soil will start under the mos
favorable conditions. II the seed itsel
is strong and the after treatment wha
it should be, maximum crop may b
expected.
Not all fields need TO be plowed b,
fore the crop is put i'm 1t is a gener;
practice in the corn belt to sow sma