The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1911-12-14
DEEPEN THE SOIL GRADUALLY
Depth Of Flowing Must &c Determined
BY Farmer Himself as He Knows
Existing Conditions.

ny the tate $ A. KNAPP
The advice To 30 down gradually Is
given solely because the incNperi'
enced farmer may try to plow too
deeply the first time and bring 10 the
surface too much OF the subsull The
best plan Is 20 use The DISK plow, 80
set that II will not bring the subsoil
10 the surface. Generally II may be
sent down S, 10 or ~ inches with I'm
punlty. and, n done In the late tall,
with slight addition TO h cost OF
shallowcr breaking. Double piuwing-
that Is. TO break at the ususi depth
and then follow In the same iurrow
with a narrow plow OF scooter ana
go down as deep as dcsirod-is better
than shallow blowing. though a little
more expensive plan than the use OF
a disk plow and not 10 effective. Many
trials made on n great variety OF
soils show that the cost OF plowing
ten Inches deep with n disk pillow %
on an average about 30 ccnts per
acre more than ordinary breaking ana
in double plowiug. rs above described
the additional cost averages $l"j per
acre. These costs are somewhat less
when a lO.iuch depth OF plowing mas
become the rule upon n given Held
There is no question that breaking and
pulycri7iug to a depth OF $ 10 10 or II
inches and adding plenty OF humus "
economical. Whether u plant mas
plenty OF food an the time or only
part of tho time makes the difference
between O good crop and a poor crop
The depth OF blowing must be de-.
tcrmincd by Tho farmer himself. lie
knows the conditions and g. the best
fudge OF the cost. In many sections,
81 done IN the fall II undoubtedly pays
10 suhsoil 10 or 20 inches. This has
been proved by some OF the best farm
ers and cXperimcutors IN the world.
Some subsOils In humid climates have
been made so close and compact by
the abundant rainfall that air does
not penetrate them TO aid In prepar'
Ing plant food, Such fields, therefore,
may not show any benefits OF sub
soiling until after W or more years.
II rarely pays 10 subsoil land In the
spring, and II Is never advisable to
use the subsoil pillow when the sub
soil Is ally saturated with water,
even though the surface be fairly
dry. Under such conditions OF pillow.
ing the clay subsoll g. pressed and
packed. when the object H. to pui'er.
ile Il and allow the air 10 act upon &,
No principle I'm agriculture has been
more thoroughly demonstrated than
the value OF Il deep. thoroughly put
verizod seed bed
The Romans plowed on m average
nine inches dcep-alwnys three times
for q crop. and IN stin lands min,
times. They did not call three inches
blowing; II was only "scarltying
The Flemish farmers were the frs
TO follow the better lines OF ngricul
ture after the dark ages. They de
voted their efforts to three maii
points: 90 The frequent and deeI
/ pulvcrlzatlun OF the soil. 90 the nc
. emulation OF manure. AM CD tn
, destruction OF weeds.
A deeper and more thoroughly puI
!, verified seed bed was the foundation
, upon which England built an I'm
!, proved agriculture. and this principle
has been generally accepted there TO
. more than one hundred and Bixt.
|. years. until tho average production
, has increased nearly tve.toid.
, a late letter from Hon. William
Saunders, director OF the Central Ia
, detrimental Farm. Ottawa. Canada
. states that farmers usually piow shaI
lowly Immediately after harvest tAu
gust ITO preserve moisture and de
stroy weeds
4 In October they commonly plov
|. eight lnchcs deep. Any blowing don.
! in the spring months Is usually sha.
a low, ut more thar six inches deeI
Eight inches Of breaking in Octobe
a IN Canada. where frosts penetrat
!. three or four feot deep, Is better 70
moisture storage than blowing TO
y depth OF 10 inches In the southern
4 states.
n The writer mas visited a number O
: southern agricultural colleges thi
year. In every ease the directors q
q their experiment stations favored
|, deep and thoroughly prepared see,
a bed.
The Georgia experiment station bu.
letins repeatedly urge a deep, mellow
and rich seed bed for corn: and the,
a insist that n the soil Is not ~naturall
@ such, II should be made so by tillag
and the addition OF humus,
Bulletin No CO OF the Georgia o.
pertinent station. on Cotton" state,
that fourteen years OF experiments
!, ton have justified certain conclusion
! that may he accepted as PRACTICAL
a ipAl." The following Is one OF them
Thorough breaking and commlnl
ling OF the upper soil. gradually II
creasing the depth TO eight or To-