The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1943-10-29
The PIow Is NOT the Enemy Of the Farmer,
Says a Noted AgonomSt, Who Replies 70
That Charge in a Recently Published Book
BY ELMO SCOTT WATSON

xNSWDR3RSA
rs THE pillow the arch-villain
L in the tragedy Of soil erosion
that costs American agricul-
ture two billion dollars year
through the loss of precious nj
trogen, phosphorus and potash
from the nations farms? Or is
it one of mankind's traditional
benefactors? VIII the pillow
eventually become an obsolete
implement and a museum piece,
or will it continue to be one OF
EARNINGS main reliances?
Americans, especially farmers,
who have learned to "revere the
plow' and who read the book "Plow-
mans Folly written by Edward H.
Faulkner and published recently by
the University of Oklahoma Press,
or who saw articles in the newspa-
pers based upon that book, no doubt
were startled when Mr.. Faulkner
told them that the plow was an en-
envy rather than a friend Of agri-
culture. But the old saying about
there being 1.-TWO sides to every ques-
ton" has proved true again, for no
less an authority than DR.. William
A. Albrecht, head of the soils de-
partment of the University Of Mis-
souri,, now comes forward to defend
the pillow and to offer rebuttal to
Mr.. Faulkner's charges against it.
DR.. Albrecht both agrees and dis
agrees with the author Of "Plow-
mans Folly" He acknowledges that
farmers in the silt loam soil areas
Of the United States have, in the
past, plowed too much. AS result,
the heavy rainfall in these regions
has washed away priceless soil. But
the question, 'sto plow or not to
plow," cannot be answered Eyes"
or mo" nor is it safe to make hasty
generalizations in any other respect
while dealing with this subject. The
crux Of the whole question lies in
the soil and climatic conditions Of
the geographical region involved.
owe need to plow less ON some
soils and, conversely, we need
to pl0w more-and deeper-on
Others" asserts DIR. Albrecht.
eve need to learn that the diff
ferences in degree Of soil devel-
0pment according to climatic diff.
ferences are factors in deter
mining how important the plow
is"
In "Plowman's Folly" Mr.. Faulk-
ner charged that the moldboard pillow
"now in use on farms throughout
the civilized world is the least salts
factory implement for the prepare
ton Of the land for the production
| Of crops The truth Is that no
one has ever advanced a scientific
reason for plowing." Moreover, he
says that the pillow is responsible for
"all the erosion, the sour soils, the
mounting floods, the lowering water
tables, the vanishing wild life, the
compact and impervious soil sur
faces" that have harassed Ameri-
can farmers for generation.
And there the University Of Mis-
souri, scientist disagrees. He holds
that even though the average farmer
can't give scientific answer to the
question "Why plow?'', the men of
science can provide plenty of valid
reasons for doing so. High on his
list of reasons is the fact that this
practice supplies the soil with oxy-
gen which helps transform its chem
ical components into disable plant
food for growing crops.
Aerating the Soil.
"Any intercollegiate will testify
that blowing aerates the SOIL" he
says. "As a consequence of the
change of atmosphere in the soil and
because Of the stirring by the mold
board pillow, there is new 'life.'
"The soil is factory in which
energy is expended. Tons Of carbon
are being burned to form carbon
dioxide. Sulphur is oxidized into sui
phur dioxide. Ammonia is changed
to nitrate. Other similar combus-
tons are taking place.
"a 40-acre corn field under maxi
mum growing activity in July burns
an amount Of carbon equal to the
coal used in running 40-horsepower
steam engine in order to form car
bon dioxide. Can anyone deny the
necessity Of air for such perform
ance? Surely no one would close
the draft by refusing to plow and
thus destroy such crop producing
power.
This burning business In the soil
by means Of oxygen from the air
must 60 on, If the plant nutri-
ents tied up in chemical combination
with carbon are to be released for
repeated use by other plants that
follow. We're this performance not
proceeding In the soil, life ON the
globe would soon become extinct.
The soils productive power would
soon be expended. As a result, the