Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1910-02-11
POINTS ON FLOWING
BY Prof ". NJ. Shoesmith, Ohio
ASricuituraI College.

Flowing is practiced mainly for two
reasons-CD the turning under Of
stubbe, manure, weeds and other
vegetable matter, and GU the pulver
izatlon or the soil. If manure anc
stubble are left on the surface of the
soil they prevent the proper opera
ton of surface working implements;
and, furthermore, they decay very
slowly. If manure is mixed with the
soil, it soon decomposes and becomes
available for the use of crops. Pillow
ing also makes the soil more loose
by giving It better drainage and by
making its capacity for holding water
greater.
However, the chief object in blowing
Is not the incorporation of vege
table matter, but the pulverization OF
the soil Much of the plant food in
the soil does not exist In forms direct
ly available for the plants to use, but
Is made available by the action OF
certain bacteria and by certain chem
teal processes, both of which require
the presence of oxygen or air. The
soil which has not been plowed for
several months and has been packed
by the rain contains very little air
and allows very little circulation OF
mir through the soil The soil that
has not been plowed for some time
Is not in the most favorable condition
FOR the development of roots and is
usually so hard that much of the rain.
fall runs off, and the amount of cap
Hilary water that it can hold is
relatively small, The first step in the
pulverization, loosening, aeration and
sweetenng of the soil can best be
lone by use of the plow.
If the purpose of blowing is chiefly
the pulyerization or breaking up OF
The soil, you will readily see that the
blowing which completely inverts the
furrow slice and lays it over fiat, or
that which sets the furrow slice near
ly on edge, but does not pulverile
It into fine particles, is not ideal pillow
Ing The type of blowing as regards
the breaking up of the furIow slice
does not depend so much however,
upon the way the pillow Is handled in
the field by The plowman as upon the
kind of pillow, especially as regards
he shape of the moldboaTd or the
curved portion which turns the furrow
slice over If you will notice several
plows Of different makes, yc will see
that there is a marked d renee in |
the shapes of the moldboards. The |
plows whose moldboards are most |
curved usually pulyerize the soil mos
thoroughly and are the kind thai |
should always be used for blowing |
stubble fields and all fields not In sod |
In sod fields the plows with ex |
tremely curved moldboards break the |
furrow slice into so many short pi aces !
that the sod is not all turned over and |
killed, and 1t is better to use a pillow |
with a somewhat straighter mold. |
board and depend more largely upon
the disc harrow and other surface.
working implements for the pulyeriza.
ton.
We have often noticed that the soil
to a depth of five or six inches, or to
the depth it has been plowed, is much
darker in color and is more porous
and is usually less sticky when wet
than the subsoil, or that below the |
depth of blowing.
The dark surface soil is more fertile
and will produce better crops than
the subsoil. Under most condi |
tons it would be better if the depth |
of the surface soil We're increased |
Another essential of ideal blowing |
then is that it shall be deep How.
ever the depth should not be increased
more than about an inch in one sea.
son, AS too much of the subsoil brought |
to the surface might result in poor
physical condition for several years t.
follow.