The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1911-04-21
narrowing Grain In Dry
Areas
tBy Prof. Shaw

In all areas where the rainfall Is light.
the narrowing OF the gram after IT has be-
gun to grow should be given that attention
which its importance demands. IL Is not
easy TO give instructions that will apply IN
every instance. as the conditions OF soil
on the judgement of the farmer. The IN
stances are few. however. IN which the
crop will not receive benefit IRON being
narrowed once ~ oitrner. during the per-
iod Of growth.
The object sought IN narrowing the crop |
are iwo-iold. EiT,t. to conserve moisture;
and second. L. destroy weed. For both |
purpose. the earlier harrowings given will |
prove the most effective \ surface soil |
mulch - most easily, made While the soil |
has not become much impacted on the sur
face Il - les needed after the grain has
begun to ahadc the snil. when weeds have
just begun TO gTow they have a less hTm
holh uu the sn,I than at later stage al
growth
II would Seem sale h. saw that the best
umr To harrow grain Tor the hrst time Is
when the blldca hegIn I" show above the
surface oi the ground. The farmer should
not wait until the field Ia, a green TINT a.
seen in the distance. When the blades be-
gin to push through the soil as apparent to
the eve when Walking over II, then At Is that
the hTst narrowing should he gwen. The
I n. 1. -
should be adjustable. So that the backward
slant gwen to them will STIR the whole sur
lace OF the ground without tearing out the
plants. The plants will thus escape injury.
A soil mulch will he formed and myriads
OF weeds just starting To grow will he de-
sttoyed.
The subsequent harro~Ings will be mol
,hed by the conditions. The second hsT
rowing should not b. giving as a rule until
the grain reaches the height. OF say. Tour io
five inches. unless the land has become en-
crusted in the meantime II grain is hsr
rowe 81 when II - one. Two OF even three
inches high. the hazard ~ present that
some and possibly many Of the plants Will
/, be- buried IN the narrowing process. The
I harrow teeth may cut more deeply the
} second narrowing then the hrst. aud the
same Is true oi subsequent borrowings. II
third narrowing Is given 1t may usually
I take place when the crop Is about seven Of
J eight inches high. and IL fourth harrow.
ing follows Il should be when the crop -,
saV Ian 40 ty,slys ,nehss h,ah S,r,.. MAJ
sons advocate narrowing at later perioI
but il is seldom indeed that II will be ne,
J essary 10 harrow this late.
Whether flax may OF may not be hsr-
/, ro~ed will depend almost entirely on the
condition Of the ground. II the ground Is
soddy or II it has more OF less OF trash "
ing on il. narrowing may do more harm than
good. II. however. the crop has been sown
on smooth and clean land. the use Of a
light harrow on the crop when Il IS three to
four inches high may help it materially.
Corn and potatoes tina, have been proper
" planted may be greatly benefited by
timely and persistent narrowing. On these
crops the harrow may be used both before
and after they have reached the surface
On both these crops the harrow may be
used until they are several inches high.
and usually with great advantage.
The harrow should not be used on grain
crops when the ground Is so vet that more
, or less Of il will stick to the harrow. as
then il tends to drag down the grain. Nor
should il be used for a somewhat similar
reason when the plants are wet from rain
or dew. When the grain is too thick the
narrowing should be SO severe as to thin
the plants 10 a proper stand.
J The NEST suitable harrow for this work
! at the present time is that with iron or
steel teeth that may be given q iorevard
or a backward slant or that may be used
uprightly. II should have wide sweep to
90 over the ground quickly. In many in
stances the harrows in use are too heavy to
do the work in best form. When the soils
are very light and soft. the wesder may
serve the parpose batter than the harrow.