Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1912-09-06
Fall and Winter Flowing.

Fall and Winter Flowing.
Except in soils which have tend
ency to drift, fall and winter pIowing
is now more generally practiced than
in the past because of a numker of
well founded reasons.
In the first place. it is usually a
good plan to plow considerable
length of time before planting so the
soil may store moisture and settle in
to good seed-bed condition. Fall plow-
ing permits this to marked degree.
1t also allows for plenty of surface
tillage which destroys weeds and
makes plant food available.
Fall plowing also destroys harmful
insects and insures the accomplish
ment of part of the labor of prepar-
ing the land when other farm work is
not pressing.
!, Heavy clay and gumbo are improved
by plowing in the fall, because the
soil is exposed to the action of air
and freezing which makes it mellow
and friable or puts it IN good condi-
tion to be made so in the spring with
a disc harrow.
Sod or land with cover crop should
be plowed early in the fall if a crop
Is to. be produced the following sum-
mer. because the turf or other organic
matter will have time to rot and be
thoroughly mixed with the soil.
Ground plowed in the fall and left
rough is in good condition to absorb
moisture from rains and SHOWS. This
moisture, however, must be conserved
by tillage which should be performed
as soon as it is possible to get into
=the fields in The spring.
DEPTH TO PLOW.
This depends on conditions AS a
general proposition it is wise to pillow
deep (eight or nine inches) because a
deep seed bed offers a greater feeding
area for plant roots and will hold
more moisture than q shallow one.
If, however, you have been plowing
shallow it is not advisable to deepen
the seed-bed abruptly, because SO
much inert soil will be brought to the
surface that the succeeding crop or
two may be injured. The best plan
is to deepen the seed-bed gradually
and add enough organic matter each
year in the farm Of barnyard manure
or vegetation to insure an abundance
of humus.
Deep ploWing is not advisable when
the snbsoil is sand or gravel and near
the surface. unless the soil has been
kept in good physical condition by the
application of manure
Virgin soil which is rich in humus
to depth of only three or four inches
should not be plowed deeper but each
succeeding year the seed-bed should
be gradually deepened until the de-
sired depth is reached
USE THE DISC HARROW.
Use it both before and after plow
ing.
Land, for example. from which a
small grain crop has been harvested
is in fine condition to dry out rapidly.
In so doing it becomes hard. very
difficult to plow and resists the alb.
sorption Of any moisture that may fall
upon it. ~
If the harvesting machine is fol-
lowed by disc harrow, a mulch is
formed which prevents evaporation tc
a marked degree and puts the soil in
condition to absorb moisture. This
renders the soil easier to pillow than
it would otherU ise be and prevents
the springiHg up of a large crop OF
| weeds. ~ -. (. =, r.fAa
Further, discing before plowine
cuts all vegetation up into small
pieces and mixes it thoroughly with
the soil so it will be more readily
converted into humus. Otherwise il
would be plowed under and form ar
insulation between the seed-bed land
subsoil, thereby breaking up capillary
action between the two. That is,
this layer of trash at the bottom OF
the furrow checks the upward move
ment of soil water with the result
Ethat the seed. bed dries out. The re.
suit is deficient crop.
After blowing, use the disc harrow
to finish the work of breaking up Of
pulvcrizing the entire furrow slice
When set at slight angle the discs
act as excellent packers.
Remember. the disc harrow is on,
of the most important supplement-
when properly used. fsssea