The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1911-04-06
DISK HARROW is IMPORTANT
Indispensable Implement to Every
Farmer Who Uses Plow-Well
Known Soil Pulverixos.

The disk harrow and pulver1zer has
long been numbered among the most
valued of farm implements. 1t Is an
indispensable auxiliary to every farm
or who uses . plow, but modern SCI
ence u fast Widening tho scope Of its
activities beyond tho reduction Of the
plowsd field, writes l. R. johnson In
the BroedsFs' Gazette Invented more
than . generation ago, It has re-
NAMED for sagacious minds during
he last few years to discover new
uses q great importance for its vol
Of these IL the principle that thorough
" to fine the surface soil in advance
Of the pillow 10 Of great value to the
coming crop, whatever it may be,
and the argument Is so simple and
convincing that there can be no dis
pute
Under former methods the SOL was
set on edge or turned over in rolls,
chunks, clods and sods and the raw
rough upper surface, for the depth Of
. few inches. rolled, narrowed and
dragged until smooth and fine. This
treatment loft field looking beautiful
On the surface but Just below there
was the medley OF chunks, clods and
sods, compressed no doubt to some ex-
tent, but still labyrinth Of air cham
bers In q crude chaos of weeds, grass
and uncompacted soil p&rticles. Now
when the grain was sown OF planted
on the hne upper stratum 1t would
como up promptly, but when tho grow
Ing roots began to make their way
downward In search Of water and
food, they found themselves frustrAt-
"a by the air spaces which prevented
the necessary contact with the soil
particles from which vater and food
are derived. They were also checked
by the lack Of moisture which was
dried up by the free circulation of the
air In these cavities ana assures.
Compare this with the condition for
roots in the soil-bed when the disk
procedes the plow and tho surface u
we'll puIverized before being turned
under and forms n stratum Of nno
sofl that 70 readily compacted BY the
pressure from above as we'll as by the
action Of rains. Another value OF
this preliminary disking q IL break
ing down and cutting 10 pieces q the
weeds and trash left BY preceding
crops. It Is quite common 70 80
farmers turning under waving masses
q weeds when blowing for wheat a.
though few Of them are unaware Of
their very Injurious action on tho
coming crop The disk would at least
chop these up and thereby reduce ma
terially their capacity for damage
A more important service and ono
but little related to this Is the en-
ployment OF the disk in conserving
moisture In the ground to be broken
and preventing 1t from becoming too
hard, as often happens In July and
August. Heretofore the farmer who
on account of the press of other du-
ties entered late upon the breaking
of wheat land, frequently found 1t so
hard that it was only with great suf-
fering to his teams that the work
could be accomplished, and even then
with the result that the field was a
mass Of huge clods akin to powders.
It was either this alternative or the
more uncomfortable one of waiting for
the rain that was 70 come the next
few days. but did not.
Under the new diSpensation he can
early in the season put boy on the
big disk and while he himself Is en-
gagged in imperative work, the surface
OF the field will be cut 10 pieces in
such manner - efIsotually to bs3-
- sun and winds in their 4&aempts