The Harlowton news., 1910-07-15
FARMERS MUST
UNDERSTAND SOIL
Plow the Ground Deep and Disc
and Harrow Well.

Many farmers confronting the prob
lem of blowing in the semiarid re-
gionS for the first time find it hard .
to determine the best method to use |
This is a question which the dry |
farmer in each locality must answer
for himself, but thorough Under
standing of the subject OF ploWing
and the effect it has Upon the soil,
will enable him to form better
opinion of how the soil should he
handled. The Northwestern Stock
man and Farmer has the followingon
the subject:
! The method of plowing land in the
fall and in the spring will, of course,
vary somewhat. Most of the sod land
in the semi-arid regions is plowed
early in the spring or summer. PloWed
at this season of the year there is
sufficient moisture to make the ploW-
ing quite easy and also the green
vegetation when turned under at this
time more quickly decays.
Perhaps the best results have been
obtained on dry land by plowing the
soil during the months of May, June
and July. If the sod is very stiff it is
not possible to plow it as deep as it is
if the soil is a little less compact. A
good rule to keep in mind is that the
deeper the farmer ploWs the more
moisture he will save. 1t is also
found that the length of time be-
tween blowing and seeding will have a
marked effect on the type OF plowing.
The land should be ploWed long
enough before seeding that it will
have time to settle and exclude the
unnecessary amount Of air before the
seed is put in. This is a question of
vital import ance to the dry farmer
Sod land that is pIowed in the spring
for the purpose OF raising winter
crop is usually plowed TO the depth Of
about five inches. The ploW is then
followed by disc and harrow. The
disc is for the purpose OF packing
down the soil and excluding the excess
of air. A soil mulch is made over the
surface by the action of the harrow
blowing two or three times as soon as
possible after the land has been
plowed. They claim that 10y so doing
" they are more able to secure good
seed bed. Experience teaches that
better results have been obtained by
blowing deep because it gives the
roots and other organic matter bet
ter chance to decay, also it makes it
possible to place the seed in the moist
4 soil.
- Land that has been plowed in the
spring must receive care during the
summer. If we have a good soil
mulch upon our soil it is possible to
save d great deal of moisture. This
means that after each rain we Should
get on and disc and harrow in order
to stir up the surface soil and .Orm
the much needed mulch. If tie land
is to be powed late in the fall, the
method will not differ materially
. We actually plow to the depth Of five
to seven inches and then if there is
considerable time before winter 1t is a
good plan to follow the plOW with
! disc and harrow. However, il the
Il blowing is delayed until quite late In
the fall it is not always necessary tC
II follow the plow with the disc and
harrow. Sol will not lose very much
moisture and if it is allowed to re-
main open during the winter season
it will catch and hold the rains ano
SHOWS. The action of the weather
will also tend to pulverize the and
If the land that is plowed early IN the
fall is not properly cared for it VIII
become very lumpy and cloddy. 1t Is
most impossible to work these clods
down in the fall or in the sprin5 tol
that reason they should be broEen ut
as soon as the land is turned oycr
| Early in the spring land Is ho'
powed as deeply as it is II huldieo
later in the spring or in the fall rms
is true because it is not possible loi
the soil to settle and for capiIat! ac'
| tion to become established in Sullic-
lent time to permit the grown Vi
plants Land powed in This 5caSof
should not be allowed to remain loi
any length of time after it is 'ur'eo
over, that it should be disced or lidr'