The Elbert County tribune., 1912-12-06
DRY FARM PRINCIPLES
Proper Preparation Of Seed Bes
Has Many Advantages.
System Of Culture outlined to Favor
Conservation Of Soil Moisture
and Adapted to Regions Of
Limited Rainfall.

station}
In a dry climate the proper prepara'
tion OF the seed bed has several Inn
rortnnt advantages. The cultivation
OF the land after harvest tends to con
serve the moisture already stored In
the soil The furrowed land is in
good condition to catch and store the
rain and the later cultivation clears
the land of weeds and volunteer wheat
and leaves mellow soil mulch tc
conserve the moisture which has been
stored in the gubsoil. The early and
continued cultivation OF the soil IA
vors the action OF the bacteria and the
development CT available plant food
BY practicing this method the farm
er may cultivate larger area early In
the season when the soil is In good
condition to cultivate. when. II 1t had
been necessary to plow the whole area.
come OF the land might become too
dry to plow we'll Likewise the later
plowing leaves the soil too lose and
not in good seed bed condition.
In preparing land for corn or other
intertilled crops the listingN may be
done late In the fall or during the win
ter or Early spring. The usual plan
being to split the ridges with the lister
later in the spring, when the corn Is
planted, or the corn or kaflir corn may
be planted by listing in the same fur
row. II is advisable to harrow the
listed field once or twice before plant
ing to destroy weeds or prevent soil
! drifting and to preserve mellow soil
/. mulch to conserve the water which has
been stored in the subsoil. In prepar-
ing land for corn, the early listing has
proved equal to early plowing and su.
! perior to early disking. as shown by
the experiments at the Kansas sta
tion
In the drler portions of the great
4 plains area, where the, annual rainfall
is not sufficient to produce crop
every year, 1t becomes necessary to
. practice SYSTEM OF summer following
every third or fourth season. or in al
ternate years in localities OF least rain.
fall. In order to store moisture and de-
velop plant food and thus insure the
production of profitable crop each
year.
| Deep plowing either in the fall or
spring and frequent surface cultiya-
ton as described above is the method
of summer following which has given
the best results at the Montana, west
ern Nebraska and western Kansas ex-
pertinent stations.
Another good method where the soil
| is inclined to blow is to list the ground
into furrows In the fall, leveling the
ridges early in the spring and piowing
about the first of June. giving suffi-
Client cultivation during the balance OF
the season TO destroy the weeds and
prepare a good seed bed.
The weeder is better adapted for har-
rowing wheat and other small grains
than the common harrow, but the har-
row may be used when the ground is
firm. The writer questions whether 4,
is necessary or advisable as rule to
harrow wheat If due precautions have
been taken in preparing the seed
bed,
heavy rains firm and puddle the soil. 1t
may be advisable u harrow, but very
young grain may be injured by harrow
ing. and after the wheat covers the
ground. narrowing IS unnecessary, The
narrowing of wheat at regular inter
gals at the Kansas. Nebraska and
Montana experiment stations has not
resulted favorably. Without question.
the proper preparation of the seed bed
much more important factor in the
growing of small grains. than the culti-
vation after seeding.
Il The cultivation Of Intertilled Crops.
While it is disputed point among
authorities whether it pays to harrow
! wheat and other sowed crops. there is
no difference of opinion regarding the
; -Enecessity or value OF frequent cultiva-
ton of corn and of all other crops usu.
ally planted In rows. The main pur-
pose being. as described here. to keep
down the weeds and maintain a mef-
low soil mulch as far as practicable
during the growing season OF the crop
There Is some disagreement regarding
the depth and frequency OF cultivation
desirable. The writer favors rather
deep cultivation In our drier hotter
climate. and after every hard rain ii
possible or at least sufficient to keep
the weeds In check.
1t Is not necessary or practicable to
attempt TO, cultivate after every rain
and there is no virtue in the admoni
ton Keep ths cultivator going in a
dry time If the soil has been well
stirred and the mulch is of sufficient
depth to cultivate again would be a
loss Of time and might do actual harm,
by drying out the deeper portion OF
The soil mulch and also causing Toe
nne and dusty condition of the surface
soi unfavorable to the absorption OF
moisture when the rain comes and ia
yorable to the blowing or drifting Of
the soil in strong winds
Such system OF culture as out
Uned here ia Intended to favo- ~ :