Judith Gap journal. [volume] (Judith Gap, Mont.) 1908-19??, 1910-07-01

in the semi-arld regions is plowed
early in the spring or summer. PlOw-
ed at this season of the year there is
sufficient moisture to make the plOw-
ing quite easy and also the green veg
citation when turned under 1T this
time more quickly decays.
Perhaps the best results have been
obtained on dry land by blowing the
soil during the months Of May. June
and July. If the sod is very stiff it
is not possible to pillow it as deep as it
is if the soil is less compact. \ good
rule to keep in mind is that the deep
er the farmer blows the more moisture
he will save. 1t is also found that the
length of time between blowing and
seeding will have marked effect OH
the type of blowing. The land should
be plowed long enough before seeding
that it will have time to settle and en-
clude the unnecessary amount of air
before the seed is put in. This is a
question OF vital Importance to the
dry farmer. Sod land that is plowed
in the spring for the purpose of rails
ing a winter crop is usually plowed to
depth of about five inches. The
pillow is then followed by disc and
harrow. The disc is for the purpose
of packing down the soil and excluding
the excess Of air. \ soil mulch Is
made over the surface bv the action
of the harrow. Some farmers disc and
harrow their blowing two or three
times as soon as possible after the
land has been plowed. They claim
that by so doing they are more able to
secure a good seed bed. Experience
teaches that better results have been
obtained by blowing deep because 1t
gives the roots and other organic mat
ter a better chance to decay. also it
makes ii possible to place the seeds i'll
the moist soil.
Land that has been plowed in the
spring must receive care during the
summer. II we have good soil mulch
upon our soil it is possible to save Il
great deal of moisture. This means
that after each rain we should get on
and disc or harrow III order to stir up
the surface soil and form the much
needed mulch. If the land is to be
plowed late in the fall, the method
VIII not differ materially. usually
plow to depth of from five to seven
inches and then if there is consider
able time before winter it is a good
plan to follow the pillow with disc and
harrow. However, if the blowing is
delayed until quite late in the fall it
is not always necessary to follow the
pillow with the disc and harrow. Soil
that has been plOwed late enough will
not lose very much moisture, and if it
is allowed to remain open during the
winter season it will catch and hold
the rains and SHOWS. The action Of
the weather will also tend to pulverize
the land. If the land that is plowed
early in the fall is not properly cared
for it will become very lnmpy and
clOddy. 1t is almost impossible to
work these clods down in the fall or
in the spring. For that reason they
should be broken up as soon as the
land is turned over.
Early in the spring land is not plow-
ed as deeply as it is if handled later in
the spring or in the fall. This is true
because it is not possible for the soil
to settle and for capillary action to be-
come established in sufficient time to
permit the proper growth of plants.
Land plowed in this season should
not be allowed to remain for any
length OF time after it is turned over,
that is. it should be discetl or harrow
ed in order to prevent the rapid evap-
Grafton OF moisture. If this is not
done, the land will, therefore, be
very difficult to work.
Briefly, it might be stated that we
pillow shallow in the spring, deeper in
summer and still deeper in the fall
also the land should be disced and har.
rowed after blowing. This, however
is not so important in the late spring