100 Bureau of Farmers' Institutes. 



Mr. Cook. — I think it folly to leave some of our ground un- 

 plowed till spring-. As a rule, however, unless we can have some 

 cover crop on the ground, especially when we do not have much 

 snow, it were better to have it unplowed, to prevent the loss of 

 fertility. There will be some loss of nitrogen, in the form of 

 nitrate, from all freshly fall-plowed uncovered land. 



Question. — Would you roll the furrow down as soon as plowed ? 



Mr. Cook. — Not necessarily ; but I should roll it thoroughly 

 before harrowing it, to compact the ground so as to prevent the 

 loss of moisture through evaporation. 



Mr. Chapman. — • As a rule, nearly 20 per cent, of our crops 

 are lost for a lack of water, while 50 per cent, of the rainfall 

 runs away. ~No\v, if the soil is plowed in the fall it will hold 

 a portion of that water which, if the ground were not plowed till 

 spring, would be lost. We cannot grow crops unless we have 

 moisture. If we secure it for the use of the plant we must 

 store it in the soil, and it can be best done by plowing the land 

 in the fall. Another point; the lumps are better pulverized be- 

 cause of the action of the frost, thus preventing the loss of water 

 which would come if the lumps were large. Another point; 

 one can get on to a piece of land and harrow it earlier than he 

 could plow it. If the ground is so prepared and the surface is 

 fine, very early in the spring, the fine mulch on the surface pre- 

 vents the loss of moisture through evaporation. Still another 

 reason for fall plowing is, that it can be done more easily and 

 more cheaply, from the fact that one has more time in the 

 fall than spring, he being not so crowded. There can be no loss 

 of fertility in fall-plowed land, unless some of the nitrogen is 

 changed into a nitrate. 



A Farmer. — How shall we get rid of hawkweeds? 



Mr. Richardson. — A rotation of crops or cultivation, if one 

 can plow the land, will kill out the hawkweed or almost all other 

 weeds. Although if you get it out it will come again, because there 

 are so many waste places where the seed lodges and thus secures a 

 permanent foothold. 



Question. — Is the weeder a desirable tool ? 



Mr. Chapman. — I consider it very valuable. It saves much 

 time in cultivating and hoeing. I use it in strawberries, corn 

 and potatoes. It must be used in season, before the weeds start 

 or the ground has become hardened. 



Mr. Smith. — It can be used on beans, if at the right time. Use 

 it once before the crop is up. 



