The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-02-14
WORK FOR THE MONTH
THE SOUTH ERN PLANTER

growth and vigorous plant life will
result, SO far as the plant food in
the soil can support this Whilst al
this shows how important it is that
early break ing OF the soil should be
undertaken. yet it should always be
! borne in mind that plowinS should
not be done until the soil is dry
enough for this work.
A few days ago farmer said tC
us that he hadl on his way to this city
passed a field where man was al
work pIoWing and the land was sc
wet that the water ran in the fur
! rows as he opened them. Such work
as this IS an absolute waste Of time
and ruinous to the crop producing
capacity OF the soil. We have known
a field plowed too wet to be SO in
jured BY the work AS to take severa
years to recuperate and become cap
able OF producing an average crop
Do not because OF desire to ht
ahead with the work. plow wet land
| The best test we know OF as to whel
land is fit to plow is to dig up 6
| spadefuI of the soil and take a hand,
ful of this and squeeze it into 4 bal
and then let this fall on to the
ground from the hands, say, two OF
three feet above the soil. II the bal
breaks into a nice. crumbly condi-
| ton as it touches the ground the lane
may be safely and profitably plowed
| In this issue will be found an article
Oh blowing from the pen Of gool
! and successful farmer. We com
mend the same to the careful atten.
ton of our readers He states some
! very pertinent facts and makes some
most excellent suggestions which car
be profitaIsly followed There is
very much to be said in favor Of .fht
use Of jointer on the piow and N-t
! would like to see this attachuels
much more largely used than it IS
! There is also another attachfilen
| made for q pIoW which would like
to see more generals used This is
"a Coulter with narrow foot made
ITO attach behind the plow and ruf
! in the bottom Of the furroW which i
| breaks loose to the depth of an inch
or two. thus making it perneable b
the moisture. The bottom OF thf
+ furrow is ofteu very hard and close
! made so by the running of the SOLE
of the pIow and by the feet Of the
horse walking in the furrOW OI
some Of our land hard pan has beer
made in this way which largely causes
the droughting Of the crop by hinder
ing the passage Of moisture both doWr
and UP through the soil. SubsollIns
is the cure for this, but often lacl
of team makes subsoiling impract1
cable With this attachment to tht
ploW the same team which piOWs can
/ to a limited extent, correct this trOu
BILE Often this hard pan is only ar
inch or two thick, and yet it is very
prejudicial to successful crop pro
! ducers. With good team the ad
dition OF this attachment will not ma
! teriaIiv increase the draft OF the ploN
and will result in much benefit.
| We have enquiries from many new
! comers into the state who have pur'
chased farms largely set IN broom
sedee as to the possibility Of making
good crops on this land this year anc
| how 70 proceed to secure tins END
Whilst our experience and obserVa-
tion has convinced Us that it is very
nncartain as 10 what result may be
+ expected the first year after breaking
! a broomsedge sod, yet we nave sue
! ceeded in getting an average corn
crop on such land where the land
has not been completely exhausted be-
fore being turned out or "hefe the
Continued on page tWo.)