The Raymer enterprise., 1916-01-13
BENEFITS OF FLOWING
Best Time for Breaking Is Late
Fall or Early Winter.
In Average Case II 10 Better to PloW
Little Too Deep Than Too shal.
iow-Work Must Be Performed
With Some Judgment.

In this arid region the best time to
do the breaking is in the winter when
the ground is not, frozen and Is reason
ably moist for the work. The advan-
tages OF early winter plowing are that
time can well be spared for the work,
the days are cool on teams. and extra
plowing done now will better eQualize
labor Of the year and prevent the ne
cessity for rush In the spring. when so
many different things are crowding In
for attention. writes Henry Andrews
in Denver Field and Farm. Some OF
the land plowed in late fall and early
winter will not need to be replowed
next spring. but II some Of II must be
plowed again the labor will be well
spent. There is seldom any danger
but often much good In stirring the
soil often. In fact the productive ca
pacity Of many soils would be mate
rally increased by a double plowing
for each crop planted. This is espe-
ciaIly true with heavy soils
But what about deep plowing in
winter or at any time Of the year! In
the average case II Is certainly better
despite what some OF the Washington
experts told US at the Dry Farming
congress to plow a little too deep
rather than little too shallow. How
ever extra deep plowing must be done
with judgment Some soils will be
greatly benefited while others may pos
sibly be injured by II. Any soil that
is full OF humus and Is black and deep
is benefited by extra deep plowing at
any time. Thin soils with only few
inches OF humus near the surface
should be deepened gradually. The
subsoil Of such land is sterile or near.
ly so. II large proportion OF this
sterile subsoil is turned up to the sur
face at one plowing. the fertility Of
the seedbed may be diluted or weak
ened unless manure is applied to bring
II In On thin land the surface hu-
mus should not be buried so deeply
that terminating seeds and young
roots cannot easily reach It. On such
land where deep plowing Is done. the
furrow should be turned to stand on
edge rather than turned completely
over to bury the top soil and leave
only sterile hardpan at the surface.
At the time this article Is being
written. the first week OF November,
am preparing field of thin adobe soil
for plowing. This field has been In
pasture. II Is fairly we'll covered with
droppings from the animals. It Is now
being covered with thin coating Of
stable manure. As soon as II is COW
cred II will be disked and plowed about
eight inches deep with four horses to
two-horse plow. II the draft is not
too heavy II will be plowed nine or
ten inches deep After this thin layer
has been plowed II will be allowed to
lie In rough burrows all winter to
weather
Later In the winter when the ground
Is frozen. stable manure is to be
hauled and scattered over the entire
field. In the spring all is to be plowed
over again to depth OF about SIX
inches. In this way organic matter
will have been given to the subsoil
and considerable quantity will be
mixed with all Of the top soil to sup
plement the humus already there. This
field is to be planted to corn next
spring. An early-maturing variety
will be used and the corn will be re-
moved early for soiling. SO that the
land may be further prepared and
seeded to wheat the first OF next
September. will get some spent
lime from the sugar factory and put
on a layer Of It In the spring. The
disking viii be deep and thorough. in
order to cut the manure finely and to
mix II well with the soil to make the
seedbed OF uniform texture as we'll as
deep and fertile. The lime will be ap-
piled primarily for the future crops.
yet 1t is intended that It will so help
the corn. The productiveness and
friability Of heavy. stiff soils may he
improved by deep plowing and work.
ing into the manure and other trash,
by plowing in the fall and winter for
freezing to break up the stiffness and
by lining.