Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1914-09-18

is determined by the proper prepara-
ton both in the soil and out of it, of
air, water and certain salt compounds.
Rainfall, sunlight and air in conjunc-
tion with the soil have knack of as
sembling these elements in such a
way that the plant grows; or failing
to assemble them in such way that
the plant fails to develop. Nature
has provided for this intermixture of
elements for limited time and plant
life will go on without much outside
interference, but, so many other
forms of natural activity, it is pos
sible for human intelligence to great
ly increase the effectiveness of ma
ture's work. The disk harrow is one
of the leading nature aiders in farm
ing. 1t is said that rightly used it
does more to increase crop profit than
any other farm implement and should
be used on every farm. 1t is one of
the simplest implements made; one
of the easiest to obtain; simple to
run; will stand much hard work; and
lasts long time. 1t is so inexpen-
sive that if used on a fair sized field,
it will so increase the production that
it soon pays for itself. In certain
parts of the United States, a farm
without disk or two is as curious a
sight as a farm without wagon, but
in other parts it is still on the thres-
hold of universal use.
F. II. De Maree Acting Agronomist
at the Missouri Agricultural Expert
ment Station, says: "In my opinion
and that of everybody connected with
the crop and soil work of this institu-
ton, the disk harrow is one of the
best implements which can be used
on any farm. In early-plowed land
and in fall-plowed land, there is gen.
orally crust, and many clods form
before complaining time. One of
the best implements which we have
found SO far for pulverizing these
is the disk harrow On sod land it is
nearly impossible to make a good seed
bed without the use of the disk"
To the bumper crop farmer, the
skilled agriculturist, SO to speak,
plowing is merely the rough work of
getting ready to plant. He puts the
finishing touches on with other ma
chimes just as the sandpaper follows
the plane in finishing woodwork.
Professor Daniel Scoates of the
Agricultural and Mechanical College,
of Mississippi, says: "The disk har-
rows special duty is to take the soil
after the plow has done it work and
put on the finishing touches. The re-
suit of these touches act in different
ways under as many circumstances.
If the land receives a heavy rainfall,
the disking allows the soil to take up
larger quantities of this moisture than
could be obtained under the former
condition. Then the absorption of
this water has not only the benefit of
storing up moisture for the future
use of the plants, but by allowing the
water to soak into the ground. it pre-
vents, to a certain extent, the sur
face washing of the land. Further.
the disking of the surface gives still
another advantage in that it forms a
mulch which breaks up the effect of
what is known as capillarity, thus
causing the rapid evaporation to
cease and saving up the moisture
stored in the SOIL"
What these men have to say in re-
gard to the value of the disk as a
crop factor is emphasized by every
experimental department working
along farm lines. Their official o. K.
confirms what thousands of farmers
have proved.
Seeding Helps Make the Crops Sc
cure.
After the seed bed is in a condition
satisfactory for the proper develop
ment of the seed, the next important
step is to be sure that the seed is
sown jus right. It is only within re-
cent years that definite, decisive tests
have been made between sowing with
drill and sowing broadcast, but so
one-sided have been the various
tests in regard to these two methods
that broadcasting is fast being num-
bered among the many old methods
which farmers are now discarding.
Broadcasting requires more seed.
and yet it produces a smaller crop of
lower grade grain. The reason for
this is that the seed thus sown is not
distributed evenly over the ground. It
does not all start from an even depth,
nor dos begin terminating uniform
ly. By the use of san ordinary drill
even without the more modern at
itachments, the seed is deposited in
fine, slightly compact, moist soil, all
of it at a uniform depth. 1t is thus
carefully covered by the chains or
press wheels, it all has an even chance
of terminating, and all the grain will
tend to ripen at the same time. It
requires, furthermore, much less seed
to get good stand with drill than
by broadcasting-
Proper disking and proper sowing
are the best ways to help nature give
"a good croop. There is, very little
more expense in doing it right than in
doing it wrong, and the returns are
much greater.
The handwriting on the wall is
plainly visible and we should prepare
ourselves to meet the crisis before
the crisis meets us. 1t means much,
and yet, all that we can do is to do
all that we can with the exercise of
care and thrift. Our work begins this
Fall in our blowing and seeding, and
our opportunity to help will come
next year at our harvesting and SELL
ing. We have more at stake than our
profits. although our profits will be
a goodly stake. We have at stake
our commercial supremacy, our agri-
cultural leadership and baove this,
towering over everything and strifi-
ing our selfish hope of gain, or our
pitiful hands which we know will be
stretched out to US from the devastat-
ed, wasted fields across the seas.
RESOLUTIONS.
The death of Captain Williams is
deserving of more than a passing no.
tice. William F. Williams enlisted
| in Co. A. 68th Regimert @. Y. L. at