The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1911-03-23
SUMMER T,LLAoE.
The First OF a Series OF Articles on
One of the Corner Stones Of
the Campbell System.
BY n. W. Campbell--ln Campbell
Scientific Farmer.

BY II. W. campbelI--ln CampbeII's
Scientific Farmer.
During the past year, the practice
of summer tillage has been attacked
by q few parties as being misleading
and very unreliable, and that it some
times causes an abnormal growth,
which, not infrequently, results In SO
thick stand that the grain, though
a fair yield, is OF low quality. Some
assert that the expense Of tillage and
the loss Of a crop the year Of sum
mer filling makes It Improbable.
Others suggest that it is advisable
only in anticipation of a drouth.
(Just how to know drouth is coming
we are not informed) One complains
THAI land thus treated is liable to
blow. Still others say that the
humus and nitrates are decreased and
that fields thus handled are sure to
show a greater loss of fertility after
a few years than fields handled after
the old or more common methods.
Now we are going to make very
broad and sweeping assertion and it
is, that all these conclusions are
based on theory alone and not on
demonstrated FACETS, and that they
are the result Of lack OF knowledge
Of the real base or true principles of
summer tillage. You can not blame
anyone for not believing what he does
not want to believe. Neither can
you blame man for holding to an
old idea until he clearly seen new
one, or for hunting for evidence to
prove what he honestly believes to
be the right conclusion. Then again
We are inclined to be very consider.
ate Of these criticisms because soil
tillage is q very large and complex
question. But still we are inclined
to think that no one, no mater how
long he may have studied the subject
10 today warranted in condemning the
plan. It is not, however, our lnten.
ton to discuss these criticisms in de-
tail, but rather to cling to the sub
3ect, Summer Tillage." But as we
come month by month to the various
points where the work comes in that
brings about certain conditions to
obtain results, we shall enlarge upon
the details Of the how and why.
z,-. Double Disklns.
The first step in the spring where
piece Of good land is to be summer
titled, and where practically nothing
has been done on it during the pre-
vious autumn is to double. disk It 40
early as conditions will permit.
Single disking will not do. There
are two prominent reasons. First,
there is left after each width of the
disk a back furrow or ridge where the
two outside disks throw the surplus
dirt that is moved from the center:
also the open furrow where the dirt
has been thrown out each way from
the center, leaving exposed strip Of
solid soil, where the evaporation 10
great and crust of considerable
depth soon forms. Second, one disk
ing leaves too many openings through
which the sun and air can pump
moisture from below.
There are two facts of importance
that must be kept in mind in summer
tilling which many carelessly over
look. First, your field must be kept
as level as possible. Second, you
must turn under no hard, dry clods
of dirt when blowing. Flowing I'M
even land or turning under clods both
produce too open cavities or leave
loose soil in tho bottom of the furrow
Correct Work Means Big Crops.
There is possible wider difference
in bushels and quality of grain grown
on summer-ti titled lands, than 10 now
experienced between good and bad
seasons, all of which is due to the
degree OF care and preciseness with
which the work is done from start
to finish. To simply let piece Of
land rest and do some work on 1t
when you happen to think of 1t or
when you get little time is called
summer fallow and never can and
never will bring big results.
The word "tilling" should always
be strongly emphasized In speaking