The chronicle=news., 1914-09-12
Our Opportunity and
Our Responsib baity

plow about two acres per day. In
doing this, they travel sixteen miles.
which is good days pull for horses
with load. A small tractor, on
the other hand-the kind which
costs less than six horses, weighs
less than six and with a capacity of
doing the work Of twelve-will 2low
fully that much in an hour Vi 80. 1t
will. Furthermore. plow It deeper
and keep It up twenty-four hours
each day until the work is complet-
ed without feeding, resting, or grow
ing thin. While 1t would not be
wise to dispose Of brood mares and
blooded stock to satisfy the foreign
buyers, in the end, perhaps, the in
creased prices which their purchases
will undoubtedly bring about will be
beneficial in forcing thousands Of
farmers to adopt a newer and more
economical form of power.
Everyone who cultivates 100 acres
or more is a candidate for share in
the millions of dollars which the
countrywide adoption of this method
of plowing will ultimately save.
lnsuring the Crop in Advance
After plowing, the. first duty of a
man is to guarantee the work by
proper cultivation and disking.
Without delving into the chemistry
OF plant life too deeply, the growth of
a plant Is determined by the proper
preparation. both in the soil and out
of it. of air, water and certain salt
compounds. Rainfall. sunlight and
air in conjunction with the soil have
a knack of assembling these elements
In such way that the plant grows;
or failing to assemble them in such
a way that the plant fails to develop.
Nature has provided for this inter-
mixture Of elements for limited
time and plant life will go on with
out much outside Interference. but,
like so many other forms of natur-
al activity. 1t Is possible for human
to greatly increase the
effectiveness of natures work. The
disk barrow is one Of the leading nat
ure aiders in farming 1t Is said that
rightly used 1t does more to increase
crop profits than any other farm i'm
plement and should be used on every
farm. 1t is one of the simplest i'm
plements made; one Of the easiest to
obtain: simple to run: will stand
much hard work; and lasts long
time. 1t is 80 inexpensive that II
used ON a fair-sized field. 1t will so
increase the production that.it soon
pays. for itself. In certain parts Of
the United States. . farm without q
disk or two is as curious . si9ht a.
farm without . wa4Sa. but in other
parts. It is sail on the threshold of
universal use.
F. II. Demaree. Acting Agronomist
at the Missouri Agricultural Experi-
ment Station, says: "In my opinion,
and that of everybody connected with
the crop and soil work of this insti-
tuition, 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 pulverising these is
the disk harrow. On sod land 1t 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.
blowing Is merely the rough work Of
getting ready to plant. He puts the
touches on with other ma
~ In ca f,,9t a O tho ca :. 4 nm m. Solla,,.
the plane in finishing woodwork
Professor Daniel scoates of the
and Mechanical College
of Mississippi. says: "The disk har-
rows special duty Is to take the soil
after the pillow has done Its work and
put on the finishing touches. The
result OF these touchess act in differ
ent ways under as many circum-
stances. II the land receives a
heavy rainfall, the disking allows
the soil to take up larger quantities
Of this moisture than could be OBJ
tained 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
% soak into the ground. 1t prevents,
o a certain extent. the surfact wash
ing of the. land. Further, the disk
ing OF the surface gives still another
advantage In that 1t forms a mulch
which breaks up the effect Of what
ls known as capillarity, thus causing
the rapid eyapration 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
'rop factor is emphasized by every
Experimental department working
along farm lines Their official o.
K. confirms what Thousands Of farm
ers have proved. g.
Seeding Helps Make the Crops Sc
cure,