The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1915-03-11
DEPTH OF A SEED BED
Prairie Soil Was PIowed to a
Six-Inch Depth and pisked.
Small Grain Narrowed Until Six inches
High and Corn Treated With Same
implement as Long as Possible
Prevent Evaporation.

Three years ago took charge OF
dry farm. The soil was good loan
containing a 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. ! be-
gan the work OF tackling virgin prairie.
The neighbors thought was crazy
because l plowed the prairie soil six
inches deep and followed the plow
with disk several times: because
| narrowed the small grain until II
was six inches high; because | har-
rowed the corn every week so long
as possible and then plowed II each
week with very small tooth cultiva-
tor. But they we're surprised at har-
vest time because some OF that land
gave 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 they have been for some
time because the farmers saw more
bushels as the 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 stiil better n I
had cross-dlsked before plowing as
am now doing. Everything possible
was done to make good firm seed
bed and also to prevent evaporation.
| Many people in the vicinity thought
II strange that we would harrow our
small grain when 1t 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 becaure we kept at work.
On the slx-inch breaking OF adobe the
corn gave yield OF thirty-eight bush
els the acre while fourinch breaking
gave yield OF less than thirteen
bushels. In cultivating our crops Ia
the dry area we followed these three
factors-a deep seed bed, Arm 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.
| advise early fall pIowins II pos
sible and plow six to eight inches In
depth. Fall plowing will prevent the
loss OF moisture to a certain extent
and II the soil breaks up cloddy. let il
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 latt
plowed ground. We should stir this
soil Just as early as possible so as tc
form a soil mulch to prevent evapor
alton. II unable to plow ir the fall
advise early spring plowing SO thai
the capillary connection between the
plowed surface soil ard the iowel
strata may be established before th'
spring rains stop. | believe In deeI
plowing but do not deepen the SEED
| bed all at once. II you have beer
; in ths habit OF plowing shallow. onl,
go deeper from one to two inches eacl
season but always let he aim be t.
, eventually get down as deep as pos
sible. have no patience with thu
! dry settlers who Lerely scratch thu
: surface and call It plowing.