The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1910-09-02
PRESS BULLETIN NO. 6
South Dakota State College
Experiment Station
FALL FLOWING

FALL PLOM
Now is the time for us to think of
fall blowing our ground for the spring
crops. This is not too early, because
the time for preparing a good seed
bed is indeed too short in the spring.
We must always bear in mind. The
better the condition of the soil, the
better will the harvest be"
WHY FALL PLoW?
We may ask why do we pillow at alls
The first essential Of a good crop Is a
well prepared soil, and the first thing
to do is TO plow that ground, There
are many reasons why il is better to
pillow in the fail than in the spring.
First we conserve moisture which Is
perhaps the most important factor IN
growing large crops, We can save
more than TWO inches OF water which
is enough to grow eleven bushels OF
corn or seven bushels of wheat, How
many farmers would buy their seed
SDlil III NiISdl l!II! 14iCiA ilCASA1'SA7 "a
they felt sure of such IN increase?
1t is well known that air cavities
and a loose surface remain as such a
long time when we pillow in the spring.
Ii takes a great deal OF work to COM
pact that seed bed, about which we
hear 50 much. but which so few OF US
ever get, Plov in the fall and let
nature do il for us. That rubbish
which we turn under viii have a
chance 10 ROT and capillarlty will be
restored. Such soils are also warmer
because they are usually drier in the
spring.
Many weed seeds are destroyed as
are also the eggs of the grass hopper
and the larya of the cut worm.
WHEN SHALLIBEGIN TO Pillow?
NOW. Plow your stubble, clover
sod, or meadow whenever you have
the time When you cannot do other
work hitch onto the plow and begin.
Put in yoRr odd half days and days
blowing Continue TO pillow until the
ground freezes. We may ever pillow
OR heavier soils al this time when
they are somewhat wet because the
alternate freezing and thawing and
we111ng and driving will make them
granular and again put them in good
IllIh. Sandy ground may be plowed
ai any time Disk plows can be used
to very good advantage when it is dry
and hard Clods and Jumps will
crunhle s1ad break to pieces because
OF the wsaIhering in the spring.
HOW DEEP TO PLOW?
Plow al least six inches deep, and if
the soil is inclined t o be dry, eight.
One OF our most apparent faults is
THAT we pillow TOO shallow. The reser-
goir is not large enough to absorb and
retain water and therei is not sufficient
soil for proper root development. On
dry hard sub surface soil it is even tc
advantage TO use the sub soiler tc
loosen the seed bed.
MHATTO DO AFTER PLOWINGi
Usually it is best to let it lie as it
lis ploNed unless the surface be toe
loose and contains a great deal of or
ganic matter, when it should be
dragged or packed with a subsurface
packer. or rolled. Ii rolled the har
row must follow the roller in order II
again establish the mulch.
WHAT MUST 1 10 IN THE
SPRING?
Disk as early as possible. We should
remember that we are able to cult
Naie lis ground much earlier thar
that which is not plowed. Let the
disk lap half and then use a harrow
SO al te even and fine the surface.
WHAT CROPS Tossed ON FALL
FLOWED GROUND IN THE
SPRING
Wheat and oats are the best CROP
for such prepared groued, because
they are sown the first in the spring
Corn usually does quite well on spring
ploMed ground. Weedy fields and SOC
ground plant to corn.
DISKING BEFORE FLOWING
When work is not too pressing ii
August and September it is good plar
ITO disk stnbble ground quite early
Security S;