Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-03-27

pIowed under i'm winter or early spring
| i'm order that il will have time for II
least partial decay before planting time.
The proper preparation of the seed bed
| is per cent of the crop. Upon this part
OF the cultivation depends the success in
producing a large yield. The seed BET
is the home Of the plant and from il will
receive the largest part of its food and
water Therefore, i'm order TO insure 4
plentiful supply OF food and water, as
we'll as a favora BILE condition of the soil
for the penetration of the plant roots, the
seed bed should he deep. well pulveriz~
ed. friable and thoroughly mixed with
vegetable matter.
There are two kinds OF plows-thc
turning or moldbOard style and disk
pillow. Both are suitable for preparing a
good seedbed. pillow should be heavy
enough thai il can he Easily controlled
i'm the soil and large enough for COM
pleteIy covering any trash that is on the
surface of the soil. The disk pillow is
considered by some 10 have the advan-
tage in weight over a turning pillow and
will make a deeper seed bed. Ii also
mikes the soil more thoroughly and
brings less of the subsoil TO the surface
The turning pillow is more generally used
and where properly used is satisfactory.
The seed bed should be from six 10
ten inches deep. well pulveriZed and
with all corn or cotton stalks. pea vines
or velvet bean vines and weeds entirely
covered Where there is much of this
material on the field. a disk harrow
should be run over IT before blowing TO
cut I'D the material. This will aid great
Is i'm plowisg il under. The disk har-
row will also tend TO puIverize the sur
face and lessen the tendency of heavy
soils 10 break up i'm Jumps. A heavy
chain fastened at one end to the pillow
beam. the other end fastened TO the end
OF the doubletree or eveuer, allowing The
loop 10 drag in the furrow even with
the wing of the plowshare. will help
10 drag the weeds and trash under.
Pillow the land thoroughly and do no.
cut and cover. Do not let the pillow
skip" Either of these faults in plow~
ing leaves hard unbroken places m
the soil and will hinder the growth Of
corn that is planted there.
As soon as the land is plowed use a
harrow on il. Use either a spike tooth
or disk harrow. or use both. The OBJ
ject Of the harrow Is TO complete The
puIveriziug Of the soil that the pillow
has IoOsened. Pulverizing the soil aft
er blowing produces mulch and pre-
vents loss of the soil water from evan
Grafton. Freshly plowed soil loses
moisture TO the air very rapidly unless
worked down we'll with harrow. DO
not be afraid of working the land too
much il il is not wet. ne object of
blowing and narrowing fC- seed bed
is TO make the soil friable and mello "
This condition is most favorable for the
penetration Of the corn roots. If the
soil is in good mechanical condition the
corn roots will penetrate to depth or
three or four feet. and they will be able
to obtain more plant food and will with
stand drought better than where they
must feed near the surface.
On heavy soils care must be taken TO
prepare a deep. we'll pulverized seed bed
This can be done only when the moisture
condition is just right. If plowed when
wet IL puddles and is clOddy and bakes
and when plowed too dry. large humps
will be formed. Either OF these ccndi-
lions are unfavOrable for the growth
of corn and the largest yields cannot be
made on land prepared in this way.
Sandy soils are inclined to be leachy
While they cannot be easily clodded or
puddled by blowing too wet or too dry
they should be well plowed and supplied
with vegetable matter and narrowed ~
soon as plowed to prevent rapid evapo-
ration Of moisture from the surface