Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1910-10-21

low curing May or June and then
surface cultivated.
=. \ Method for Foul Land
Where the soil is literally full of
weed seed as much OF our soil is, or
Wuere heavy crop of weed seed has
matured ana fallen to the surface of
the ground, it is doubles best to sur
race cultivate before the land is plow-
ed deeply. Where deep blowing is
1 the first operation much of the weed
seed is placed SO far beneath the sur
face that it does not terminate until
brought to the surface again by sub
sequent plowing. The following
method with some variations is used
l ~ many OF our most successful farm
ers:
When the land to be fallowed is
weedy it may be either shallow plow-
ed or disked in the fail after har-
vesting the crop. The shallow cult
I walton covers the weed seed and gives
them chance to terminate during
the autumn. 1t also breaks down
and covers or partially covers the
stubble. This forms mulch that
does not crust easily, that takes up
the winter precipitation quite rap
idly, and that will prevent the ground
from freezing so hard during the
winter.
AS soon as the soil is dry enough in
i spring it is again cultivated by disk
ing anC t2rrowing. This forms a
mulch thai checks evaporation so
that the blowing can be delayed for
l some time. The early surface cult
walton destroys the weeds that were
started during the fall and brings
other weed seed into condition to
terminate, By establishing the
mulch early and delaying the blowing,
the moisture becomes better distrib-
uted through the soil. This causes
the stubble to be turned under we'll
and the ground to pillow easier and
more mellow than it would if plOw-
ed early
From three to six weeks after the
surface is mulched the land is plow-
ed. The surface weed seed having
been terminated, the pillow kills a
crop of weeds and turns comparative
ly clean soil into the furrow. The
majority of farmers who disk in the
fall or early spring before blowing,
follow the pillow pretty closely with
the spike-tootb harrow. A few use
the subsurfaCe packer as we shall ex-
plain presently. For the rest Of the
summer cultivation after blowing and
narrowing, some form OF knife
weeder is generally preferred. The
| knives slip under the surface and do
not pulverize the surface so much as
the tooth harrow. If the surface soil
becomes finely pulverized it is likely
to puddle and get too hard during the
! following winter.
/ Where the soil is subject to drifting
when pulyerized finely some prefer
TO use the springtooth harrow mount
ed on wheels, This implement can
/ be adjusted to cultivate the desired
depth and the teeth bring the clods to
the surface. If the surface is cloddy
the soil will not blow so easily.
=. The Use OF the Subsurface Packer
Subsurface packers of the Camp
bell type have gradually been gaining
in favor for several years. Land that
mas just been plowed is loose and
pen, containing many air cavities
his open condition permits the air to
circulate quite freely in the soil,
which dries it out quickly. If used
Immediately after the pillow the sub
surface packer settles the soil, fills
up the air cavities, and packs the
bottom portion of the soil turned by
the pillow. This lessons the circula-
ton of the air in the soil and mater
tally decreases evaporation. Few
men who have properly and thorough
i ly tested the subsurface packer are
willing to give it up.
Tillage for Spring Sown Cereals
In raising spring grain in the Col
umbia river basin it is essential that
the seed bed be firm and compact and
that the seeding be done early. The
seed bed may be put in this condition
in many ways and with many tools
A good method of procedure is as
follows Pillow six or seven inches
deep as early in the spring as the
soil is in good working condition
harrow Immediately, drill in the grain
as soon as land is narrowed, follow
the drill closely with the packer (the
Corrugated roller, the Durham roll
! Ter, or the Campbell packer, and