The Raymer enterprise., 1912-06-06
DRY FARM PRINCIPLES
Proper Preparation Of Seed Bed
Has Many Advantages.
System Of Culture Outlined to Favor
Conservation Of Soil Moisture
and Adapted to Regions OF
Limited Rainfall.

Limited Rainfall.
tBy PROF. A. II. TEN EYCk. superin.
tendent Western Kansas Experiment
Station.)
In dry climate the proper prepare.
tion OF the seed bed has several i'm.
portant 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 a mellow soil mulch to
conserve the moisture which has been
stored In the subsoil. The early and
continued cultivation OF the soil IA
vors the action OF the bacteria and the
development of 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.
some OF the land might become too
dry to plow we'll. Likewise the later
blowing leaves the soil too lose and
not In good seed bed condition.
In preparing land for corn or other
lntertilled crops the listing may be
done late In the fall or during the win
ter or oarly spring. The usual plan
being to split the ridges with tho lister
later In the spring. when the corn Is
planted. or the corn or kafiir corn may
be planted by listing In the same fur.
row. 1t 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 tho water which has
been stored In the subsoil. In prepar.
Ing land for corn. the early listing has
proved equal to early plowing and 81.
perior to early disklng. as shown BY
the experiments at tho Kansas sta.
tion.
In the drier portions Of the great
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 cultiva.
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 eI.
pertinent stations.
Another good method where the soil
is inclined to blow Is to list the ground
into burrows In the fall. leveling the
ridges early In the spring and plowing
about the first Of June, giving sum
clent 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 It
is necessary or advisable as rule to
harrow wheat II due precautions have
been taken In preparing the seed
bed.
Under certain conditions. where
heavy rains firm and puddle the soil. 1t
may be advisable to 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.
walls at the Kansas, Nebraska and
Montana experiment stations has not
resulted favorably. Without question.
the proper preparation OF the seed bed
is a much more important factor In the
growing Of small grains. than the cult.
walton after seeding.
The Cultivation Of intertliled Crops.
While II is a disputed point among
authorities whether It pays to harrow
wheat and other sowed crops. there Is
no difference OF opinion regarding the
necessity 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 q mel.
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.
It Is not necessary or practicable to
attempt to cultivate after every rain,
and there is no virtue In the admoni.
ton Keep the cultivator going In q
dry time II the soil has been well
stirred and the mulch Is OF sufficient
depth. TO cultivate again would be q
loss OF time and might do actual harm
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