Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1914-01-21
PREPARATIONS ON
SOUTHERN FARMS

Washington, Jan. Elm no section
Of the country does a well prepared
seed bed give better returns than in
the Southern States. The best spring
of the soil is practically
impossible unless it has been properly
turned and deeply baoken during the
nrevious summer or fall. The neces-
sity for deep blowing in the South is
probably not realized by those VINO
are not familiar with the heavy rain
falls in this section, which frequently
racks and runs the particles OF soil
together so as to exclude air ana sun
shine. The absence of freezing pre-
vents any loosening up of the partl-
cles. besides in many places is an al
most impervious hard-pan of subsoli
either natural or brought about from
a continuous custom of shallow piow-
ing In other sections this deepening
and loosening of the soil is done part
~ at least by the forces Of nature,
but can only be accomplished by the
nlow in the South. Such are the hnd-
ings of the Department of Agriculture
The best implement for deep break
ing of the soil is the disc plow when
turns. pulverizes and mixes at tne
same time. When properly adJusteu
the disc breaks the land deeply ana
thoroughly loosens 1t, mixing thls soil
and the subsoil to some extent Dut
does not turn to the surface enough
of the inert subsoil to injure the sue
ceeding crop. The next best method
for deep breaking is moldboard plow-
ing. set to turn burrows on edge ana
this is followed by subsoil piow III
the same furrow as deeply as desired
II the cover crop is to follow the
fall breaking a thorough preparation
os the seed bed should be made pe-
fore planting the seed. If no cover
crop is sown the disc harrow or spring
tooth harrow should be run over occa-
sionally to crush clods and keep sur
face crusts broken for the ADMISSION
of air and sunlight. The usual methou
ie m fat break and where this is done
II is best to throw up into Deds pe-
fore planting Planting may De zone
with small plows or just as effectively
and much faster with a disc cultl'a-
TOR set at the proper angle. Should
there be clods a roller may be useu
and this is followed with seclion
harrow.
Too much care cannot be given 10
tho nrenaration of the seed bed IL
not only saves cultivation but makes
nlant food available and furnishes
nroper conditions for seed germina
ton and rapid growth. The best
farmers will tell you that thorough
preparation is more than half the eX
nense of making a good crop.
The spring preparation is never as
deep as the land was when broken II
| the fall or winter With nearly al
field crops a firm seed bed is prefer
able. Only the first few inches neec
70 be freshened and pulverized a
planting time. When the cover croI
is drawn under the blowing should De
lust deep enough to turn the crop uh
der we'll and the usual narrowing an'
pulverizing to get fine soil before
seeding.
Where there has been no fall an'
winter breaking done, as is the rue
in some sections, it is not advlsaDl'
to break as deeply in the spring as II
the fall; usually not more than t"'
inches deeper than before, and thel
the clay subsoil should not be turned
to the surface. The pillow can be Sc
to edge the furrow. 1t is found neces
sary to get spring broken land hnei'
pulverized and thoroughly prepare'
before planting. 1t is better to della
planting several days rather than pu
the seed in a poorly prepared bed.