The Delta independent., 1911-02-03
Early Plowinx is Best.

we are still sticking to our old
time theory that fall breaking is
especially essential in dry sea-
SOUS such as we are having just now.
When farmers first came here from
the east they did not know much
about our peculiar conditions and
were inclined to follow the habit
that prevailed there of waiting to
plow for late crops until shortly be-
fore they we're to be planted. This
plan has some advantages which
makes a farmer loath to abandon it.
A great quantity Of weed seed is
sprouted by the warm days and
showers of spring. These are de-
stroyed by the late turning under
of ground and the surfaces is freed
from these membranes. When
the ground is turned early the
weed seed is also sent to the bot
tom of the furrow.
When the ground is cold germi-
nation is retarded from the want
of light and air which play an
important part in the sprouting
of many seeds and they are apt
to come through about the same
time as the crop. They thus have
the advantage of a well establish
ed root system which absorbs the
soil moisture very much to the
detriment of early thrift in the
sown crop so necessary to the
making of a strong plant. Land
cannot as a rule be plowed the sec
ond time the same spring in Colo
RADIO. On account of the loose
nature of our soils and light rain
fall the surface does not become
sufficiently compact, and the plow
will choke with trash. constantly
running out of the ground and re-
sulting in poor work.
If very light Job of blowing is
done early. a good deal of rain
falls and the plow is set deep the
second time, the purpose may
sometimes be accomplished, but
the first plowing will have been so
| light that discIng would accomplish
the same purpose at less cost. With
the disc we can accomplish a great
deal in attaining a proper physical
condition of the soil and it is not
half enough used before plowing A
heavy coat of manure or even a
heavy stubble is turned under In
the main on the plow sole where
the bottom of the plow runs and
forms a mat of vegetable matter
which breaks the capilarity between
the stirred ground and that below.
The slowness with which this
matter decays in this climate often
prevents the fertility contained in
it becoming available until the
second year. II the ground is
we'll disced before plowing the
coarser parts are chopped up and
mixed with the soil in such manner
hat its distribution is even and
it will settle with it. We can there
fore secure seed bed of the re-
Quired firmness. A field may be
narrowed half a dozen times after
1t has been plowed and although
the result will be pleasing TO the
eye and a valuable dust mulch OBJ
tained, the same tilth cannot be
obtained as by discing previous TO
plowing. In the latter case the top
crust has been pulverized and the
ground breaks from the mold board
of the plow free from Jumps.
| To turn this crust under several
inches and then try to establish
tilth by surface cultivation is one
of those customs which has nothing
to recommend 1t but its antiquity.
By using the disc in this manner on
any ground the days on which really
frst-class plowing may be done are
multiplied. we establish a mulch on
top to prevent evaporation. make the
soil more receptive of moisture and
stroke with the harrows then will
encourage termination of weed seed.
On the ground that is earliest
plowed great care is needed lest the
weeds destroy the object of the
early plowing In so far as 1t re-
lates to the retention of soil mois-
ture. All farmers know that II weeds
reach a certain size the harrow can
not destroy them. 1t must there
fore be used with sufficient fire.
quency to keep them down before
they are thoroughly through the
ground. or some other implement
more expensive to operate must he
used and for this purpose we like the
horse weeder better than anything.
After grain or alfalfa is seeded the