American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1916-04-20
lTHE THOROUGHNESS OF FLOWING
Q. ID. O'Donnell.)

The most important part OF better
farming is better preparation of the
soil. All other essentials OF good
thorough cultivation or preparation OF
the soil is neglected. Thorough culti-
vation will sometimes produce crop
for the farmer even though he has in
sufficient moisture and a poor sea-
son. Now the question is what Is
thorough cultivation? 1t naturally
begins with good plowing and what is
1t? Flowing though seemingly SIM
pie matter is the most important op-
Grafton in the tillage OF the soil. Upon
1t to great degree depends the ma
ture Of the later operations and the
frequency and extent to which they
will be required.
In fact unless the soil is plowed
] In the best manner possible and at
the right time the preparation Of the
land for growing a crop will require
additional labor and cost. II may
even be impossible to prepare good
seed bed when plowing is done under
adverse conditions. II has been dem
onstrated in several states by series
Of experiments, especially In old
ground, that deep plowing gives bet
ter results than shallow blowing; that
soil plowed seven to eight inches deep
will average twenty-five to thirty-five
per cent better crops than soil plow-
ed four or Ave inches deep.
/. rs1wing should be done In nice
4 y xht and even furrows with the
ltbble or whsteyer aftermath there
sfis on the. surface well turned under
/ the ground when worked with harrow
or disk. Back burrows should be
turned out. then plowed back so that
there is not three or four feet In width
! of land under the back furrow which
has not been plowed. Also after
; making the dead furrow II two plows
are being used. see that the both turn
} the same kind of a furrow. 1t will
save labor In leveling
. In spring plowing 1t is most i'm
POl idui Aidh ib' pioW Df lpiloHth ~
once with harrow, disk. roller or plan
! ker. In this way moisture Is conserv.
r ed and at the same time the ground
! Will work up better than at an time
e later. II possible in the spring dish
= before plowing. II will hold the sol
= in nice condition for plowing mucl
longer than II not done; and what II
G more important It will have worked
s the part OF the furrow that most need
G working-that Is the bottom part. Tn
o general impression Is that il is tn
l.. top two or three inches OF the seed be,
: that should be In good condition, Will
d In fact II Is the bottom two or thre
r inches that must be well worked an
h in good tilth.
Any good cultivation requires q
h least one double disking and In mos
n cases two double dIskings are bette
8 then the leveler and again the harro'
q followed by the planker or roller. Th
& leveler should be run crossiwise {
e the plowing so as TO fiji dead furrow
ard take down the back furrow
, Generally each implement should
ir run crosswise or diagonally TO the pr
y yious working. The field should
E. left about one week to permit settl'
Is ment OF the soil before seeding.
/; case a rain should occur during IN
:; time the harrow should be used agai
D. II IL well when the soil Is fairly Loo
In TO run the roller just ahead Of u
ie drill as well as Just after II. The
ne are times when II IL well TO roll ju
I'd as the grain is coming up. especial
ne II the soil is inclined to crust or
I'd case there has been rain.
No