The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1915-08-13
DEPTH OF A SEED BED
Prairie Soil Was Flowed to a
Six.InCh Depth and Disked.
Small Grain Narrowed Until Six Inches
High and Corn Treated With Same
implement as Long 40 Possible
Prevent Evaporation.

Three years ago took charge Of q
dry farm. The soil was good loan
containing great many powders left
by glacial drift. At one time wheat
In this section gave large yields but
during the dry seasons the crop fell
down to six to twelve bushels the acre
which was scarcely worth fussing
with at harvest time and stock was
turned into many Of the fields. l be-
gan the work Of tackling virgin prairie.
The neighbors thought was crazy
because | plowed the prairie soil six
inches deep and followed the pillow
with a disk several times; because
narrowed the small grain until 1t
was six inches high; because har-
rowed the corn every week 30 long
as possible and then plowed 1t each
week with a very small tooth cultiva-
tor. But they were surprised at har-
vest time because some of that land
gave q return of S32 the acre, writes
Clifford Willis in Denver Field and
Farm.
Last year many of the fields in the
vicinity were prepared and plowed
better than thoy have been for some
time because the farmers saw more
bushels as tho result and bushels
meant dollars. / also had to work on
some heavy soil. A part of this land
was turned six inches deep while
some was plowed only four inches.
In each case the disk followed the plow
and would have been still better If l
had cross-disked before blowing as /
am now doing Everything possible
was done to make q good firm seed
bed and also to prevent evaporation.
Many people in the vicinity thought
1t strange that we would harrow our
small grain when it was six inches
high.
While working in the field stirring
the soil, although dry, many OF my
brother farmers were not even in the
field. We have harvested more and
better grain than many Of our neigh
bors simply because we kept at work.
On the six.inch breaking Of adobe the
corn gave yield Of thirty-eight bush
els the acre while four-inch breaking
gave a yield of less than thirteen
bushels. In cultivating our crops In
the dry area we followed these three
factors-a deep seed bed, firm seed
bed and surface cultivation. In every
instance we disked our ground just
as soon as possible after harvest and
on the corn ground we disked the
stalks in order to cut them up and
also to make a mulch.
1 advise early fall blowing If pos
sible and pillow six to eight inches In
depth. Fall blowing will prevent the
loss OF moisture to a certain extent
and If the soil breaks up cloddy, let 1t
remain during the winter without har-
rowing. have found by this method
that we are able to begin work much
earlier in the spring than on late
plowed ground. We should stir this
soil Just as early as possible so as to
form q soil mulch to prevent evapor-
alton. II unable to pillow If the fall,
l advise early spring blowing so that
the capillary connection between the
plowed surface soil and the lower
strata may be established before the
spring rains stop. l believe in deep
blowing but do not deepen the seed
bed all at once. If you have been
In tho habit of blowing shallow, only
go deeper from one to two inches each
season but always let The aim be to
eventually get down as deep as pos
sible have no patience with the
dry settlers who lAerely scratch the
surface and call 1t blowing.