The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1914-01-22
6 GGDfiag Preparation on SG1ihern Farms

Washington, D. c.. Jan. 2O.-In
no section of the country does a we'll
prepared seed-bed give better re-
turns than IN the Southern States.
The best spring preparation Of the
soil is practically impossible un-
less it has been properly turned
and deeply broken during the previ-
Gus summer or fall. The necessity
for deep ploWing in the South is
| probably not realized by those who
are not familiar with the heavy
Trainfalls in this section, which fre-
qnently packs and runs the particles
OF soi! together SO as to exclude air
and sunshine. The absence Of freez-
ing prevents any loosening up CT
tn particulars, besi des in many
places there is al almost inpervieus
har 7-pan Of subsoil, either natural
Or brought about from q continuous
custom OF q sailow piowing. In
other sections this deepening and
looseuing Of the sol! is done partly
at least by the forces CT nature but
can only b. accomplished by the
plow IN the South. Such are the
findings Of the Department Of AgGi-
culture
The best Implement for deep
breaking Of the soil is tie djac plo *
which turns. paIVeriz IS and g.ti.-ea -
The same time Wren properly adj
iusted the disc breaks the land deep
y and thoroughly loosens it, max
Jag this soil and the subsoil to some
extent but does not turn to the sur
! face enough of the inert subsoil to
injure the succeeding crop. The
next best method for deep breaking
is moieboard blowing, set to turn
furIows on edge and this is followed
by a subsoi plow in the same fur
row as deeply as desired.
II the cover crop is to follow the
fall breaking & thorough pcepara-
ton of the seed-bed should be made
before planting the seed. Il no
: cover crop is soun the disc harrow
or spring tooth harrow should be
run over occasionally to crush cl0ds
and keep surface crusts broken TO,
the admission cf air and sunlight
, The usual method is to fiat break
al2si where this is done L Is be5C K
: throw up into beds before planting
Planting may be done with small
plows or just as effectively ant
muca faster with q disc cultivation
Il se5 at the proper angle. Should
= there be cIod5 roller may be used
/ and this is followed with q sect Il
harrow.
Too nucn care Cannot be given Il
The preparation o. the seed bed. L
( not only saves cultivation but make
Dfant food available and furui@hz:
r. proper conditions for seed gern1ina
ton and rapid growth. The les
farmers will tell you that thorough
preparation is more than half th'
expense Of making a good crop.
The spring preparation IS neve
deep as the land was when brokel
: in the fall or winter. With nearl.
: all field crops firm seed bed is pre-
y ferable. Only the first few inche
- need to he freshened and pulverize'
at planting time When the cove
n crop is drawn under. the plowin!
should be just deep enough to tur1
e. the crop under we'll and the usua
narrowing ard pulverizing to get
. fine soil before seeding.
- Where there has been no fall an
winter breaking done, as is the rui
in some sections, it is not avallabi
to break as deeply Ii the spring q
in the fall; usually not more tha
10 two inches than before, and then tn
clay suhsoil should not be turned t
the surface. The pIow can set t
edge the furrow L IS found NOR
ar necessary 10 get spring broken ian
,d finely pulverized ard thorough
IL prepared before planting 1t IS be
r. ter to delay planting several day
O. II ther than put the seed in q poor'
prepared bed.