The Brinkley argus. (Brinkley, Ark.) 1883-current, 1917-03-09
GOOD SEED BED
VERY IMPORTANT
Ground For Good Seed Bed Must Be
Firm and PuIverized
On Top.
By w. c. Lassetter, Acting Director of
the Extension Division.

good seed bed. A seed bed fit for
planting OF any class of farm seeds,
from the grasses, clovers and alfalfa
to seeds Of larger type, such as grains,
corn and cotton, must be firm-not
loose and not hard-and pulverized on
top.
The importance of thorough prepa-
ration for planting has been urged
and discussed from time immemorial,
yet few people seem to understand
the true meaning of good seed bed.
have seen people preparing land for
alfalfa, which requires thorough pre-
paration of a good seed bed, and these
men have gone ahead on the assump-
ton that the ground must be well
broken, pulverized on top, and the
seed sown Immediately. This pro-
v1des a loose seed bed, and if rain
is not forthcoming in a short time,
these same men wonder why they did
not get a stand They have follow
ed wrong principle-that of provid-
ing loose seed bed rather than a
firm seed bed, well pulverized on top.
Young seedlings cannot secure sat
isfactory growth on hard, impenetra-
BILE soil. When land has been subject
ed to the packing occasioned by
heavy rains, such as we have in all
parts Of Arkansas In the course of
the year, the soil particles are packed
closer and closer together until the
soil becomes practically impenetrable
and there is little room for movement
of these particles which is nee
essary if roots are to grow down be-
tween them; likewise there is lit
tie room for storage Of moisture, and
therefore the young crop suffers from
lack of root development and lack of
moisture A hard seed bed is very
undesirable, and will result in small
Ter crop.
We oftentimes hear the remark that
grasses and clovers must not be sown
on loose soil, but that they must be
sown on soil without preparation. This
Is an erroneous idea, but it has arisen
on the basis of good sound principle,
in that no grass and clover crop will
do well If seeded on loose soil. The
truth of this suggestion lies in the
fact that the ground should be broken
from four to six weeks ahead OF time
for planting the grasses and clovers
in order that the soil may have time
to settle down and become firm. In
period of that duration ths soil will
not have time to become packed and
hard except on the surface, and this
is remedied by frequent narrowing,
so that at the time of planting you
have a seed bed firm, not hard, with
the top we'll pulverized.
This principle can very well be ap-
piled to all agricultural crops. The
remark is commonly heard that young
cotton will not grow until the tap
root strikes hard ground. While the
Idea as expressed is erroneous, there
is an element of truth In the fact that
cotton planted in loose bed will not
grow as well as cotton that is planted
in ground that has been prepared SUI
iciently far in advance for the soil
10 be we'll firmed at the time OF seed
ing. Cotton planted on hard ridge
cannot be expected to stand the
drouth, nor to make the satisfactory
growth to be obtained by cotton
planted on land properly prepared, as
explained above.
In many sections it has become COM
mon in preparing land for cotton to
throw up thin layer of loose earth
on hard ridges, harrow this loose soil
down and plant. This leaves hard
ridge underneath, covered by a thin
layer of rather fine soil. This does
not constitute good preparation. be-
cause this is a hard seed bed rather
than firm seed bed.
The whole scope of proper prepare
ton for the planting of agricultural
crops can be summed up as follows:
Whatever the crop may be, break the
land from three to six weeks ahead
Of planting time, keep the surface
narrowed until planting time, and be-
fore planting pulverize the surface so
that II will be free from clods and
free from crust. This will give
firm seed bed, well pulverized, and
that means a good seed bed.
Test Cotton Seed Before Planting.
Just any kind of cotton seed will
not do. In the springs of 1914-15 the
Arkansas Experiment Station tested
cotton seed from more than 70 sources
each season. These seeds were taken
from lots OF seed that were intended
to be used for planting Careful ger
mination tests showed a variation of
from 10 per cent to SO per cent germi-
nation. Cotton seed seldom shows
higher than from rs to So per
cent termination. but If planted
1t should not show less than
10 per cent. No man wants to plant
seed that will not come up. The only
way to find out in advance is to test.
A simple tester consisting of two
plates and an old towel, or other alb
sorbent cloth, is sufficient for any
farmer to test his cotton seed. Test
your cotton seed. Consult your coun-
ty agent or write to the Fxtansion Di-
vision. College of Agriculture, Fay
- "a, - IN