The Ordway new era., 1912-03-15
THE SEED BED
By Dr.. w. E. Taylor. Director of the
Soil Culture Department. Deere
Accompany. Moline. Illinois
last weeks issue.)

we nave sCateu tilaL NATURES Iuedi
system OF supplying plants with m0is'
ture is by capillary. ry.attraction. Capil.
larity is perfect whea the particles OF
soil are Ia close proximity and at the
same time air spaces exist between
them, but 1t is imperfect or practically
destroyed IL for any reason large air
spaces are formed.
II when the furrow slice Is turned
the surface soil Is lumpy or covered
with trash, such as corn stalks. stub.
Bile, weeds or coarse manure, the soil
contact Is not compact between the
bottom OF the furrow and the furrow
slice, due to the layer Of trash or Jumps.
and large air spaces are formed.
Capillary water rises through the
subsoils until IT. reaches the break at
the bnttOm OF the furrOw. where II is
partially or wholly retarded; hence,
when the moisture In the seed bed Is
exhausted. as 1t usually is unless rains
occur very frequently, the plant per.
ishes.
Capillary attraction Is also retarded
II Jumps exist In the body OF the seed
bed. thereby forming more large air
spaces.
The first condition can be prevented
by working the trash into the soil
with disc before the ground is plowcd.
The second condition. namely, Jumps
in the seed bed, can be eliminated by
pulverizing the ground after plowing
with disc or harrow.
Again, manure should be applied
evenly with spreader after the
ground Is plOwed, and subsequently
disced into the seed bed, rather than
plowed under, for the following very
good reasons:
ID The fertility Is not lost by
teaching. but Is available to the roots
during the early stages Of the growth
Of the plant.
(2) The organic matter is In the
seed bed and not below 1t.
(3) Manure In the seed bed retains
and regulates heat, absorbs and re-
tains moisture and stimulates to nc.
tivity soil bacteria.
(4) Renders the soil mellow and
easy to cultivate, especially II it Is In.
clined to be clays..
Another contingency that may exist
is loose soil. II the soil Is very loose
aud light the evaporation OF moisture
is excessive and rapid, also seed In such
soil terminates very slowly. This con-
dition can be remedied by using sur
face or subsurface packer or cor
rugated roller. In semi.arid regions
the subsurface packer and the CORFU.
gated roller give the best results.
FLOWING
We have pointed out the indisput-
able advantages OF a deep seed bed,
not from theoretical standpoint,
but because OF many actual field dem.
onstrations where deep plowing and
thorough tillage was the direct means
OF increasing a crop from 30 to so per
cent. We desire. however, to qualify
the advice as follows:
Virgin ground should be plowed no
deeper than the bottom line Of humus,
for the reason that should subsoil not
containing sufficient amount OF
humus to promote the action OF soil
bacteria be brought to the surface, the
crop would be failure.
The depth should be increased grad
ually, each year adding manure either
from barnyard or organic matter In
some other form, until a sufficient
depth is reached to afford an abun-
dance Of room for all of natures re.
quirements.
We recognize the fact that more
power is required to turn nine-inch
slice than one four inches in thickness,
and the extra burden demands more
horses and some other traction meas.
ure. We feel, however, that steam
and gasoline tractors, on account of
the superior work the farmer is able
to perform and the economy he can
practice, will be utilized for power
very generally in the place Of horses
in the very near future.