No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 387 



The mould-board should possess a bold curve outward and over, so 

 that the furrow slice will be caught for an instant and pushed on 

 itself tilightly before it is delivered. This slight movement of the 

 earth on itself accomplishes much in breaking up and pulverizing 

 the slice. Thus, too, the slice is left more nearly in a perpendicular 

 position than is that made by the long, narrow jjIow, and by so much 

 is more readily attacked and subdued with the harrow. The increase 

 in draft by this change of mould-board will cut a very small figure. 

 It has been ascertained that in the ordinary plow, 55 per cent, of the 

 whole draft is expended in cutting the furrow-slice, 33 per cent, in 

 the friction of the sole and land-side, and 12 per cent, in turning the 

 slice. Thus it is seen that the force required in turning the slice is a 

 very small part of the w hole, and this bolder mould-board could add 

 but very little to the whole draft. 



I might add that the rate of speed at which the plow^ or harrow is 

 moved has much to do in pulverizing the soil. The rate of the road- 

 ster and that of the Clydesdale or Shire are equally out of place on 

 the field. The movement of the average coach horse is better. In 

 ground practically free from stone and roots the gait should be as 

 rapid as practicable, a brisk walk being far more effective than is a 

 slow one. 



3. When shall the plowing be done? Is an important question, and 

 one difficult to answer without specific conditions before us. In some 

 cases the plow is not necessary; for example, a potato field that has 

 been well cultivated and is to be seeded to V'/heat, rye or crimson 

 clover. Here an ideal seed-bed is easily prepared with the harrow 

 alone. Another case w^ould be a corn stubble on a loamy soil that 

 had been unwisely allowed to lie over without a cover crop. This 

 could be well prepared for oats or barley with the disc harrow, finish- 

 ed with the Acme. 



The more important phase of this question relates to the season. 

 Shall we plow in the spring or fall? 



In the case of a stiff sod, especially one of long standing, I inva- 

 riably plow in the fall or winter, and for several reasons: First, 

 because I want the land, long unstirred and unweathered, turned up 

 to frost, sun and air to undergo the chemical changes necessary to 

 convert its potential to available plant food, and to be thoroughly 

 pulverized by the action of the frost. To put the ground into condi- 

 tion to receive and retain stores of moisture for summer use, and to be 

 ready for earlier seeding than would be possible on spring plowed 

 ground. To accomplish these ends and others, it will be necessary 

 to plow deep. In this case there will be no danger of serious wash- 

 ing or puddling. Again, I like to plow^ such ground in the fall or 

 winter because at this season the team is in better condition, the 

 weather is cooler, and I have more time to devote to this work. 



