80 



(2) In sod {'meadow or pasture) for spring crop. After one or 

 two, but not more than two, crops of hay or pasture, plow shallow 

 (not more than four inches) early after harvest, say the 1st to the 15th 

 of August, and harrow at once. Let it stand a couple of weeks, and 

 then cultivate the same way it was plowed, two or three inches deep, 

 with a spring-tooth cultivator. After a while cross-cultivate a little 

 deeper. If possible, cultivate a third, or even a fourth time, going a 

 little deeper each time. Then, if you can manage to do so, rib it up 

 with a double mould- board plow the last thing in the fall This will 

 make a good foundation for any crop the following spring — grain, 

 roots, corn or rape — and if the portion in hoed crop is thoroughly 

 cultivated with horse and hand hoes, very few, if any, thistles will be 

 left. The portion intended for rape must be kept clean by surface 

 cultivation till the time for putting in the crop, say the last half of 

 June or the 1st of July, after which it should be treated like other 

 hoed crops. 



Some recommend a crop of fall rye on land which is intended 

 for rape the following summer, but the rye takes so much moisture 

 from the soil in the spring that the rape after it is apt to be a poor 

 crop, unless in favorable seasons. 



If summer-fallowing is resorted to, it will be well not to 'plow 

 any more than is necessary, but to rely on surface cultivation with 

 the broad- share cultivator and the harrow, done in such a way as to 

 cut the plants two or three inches below the surface, without bringing 

 up any of the numerous rootstocks which run along a little lower 

 down. It will also be well to keep the fallow covered part of the 

 summer by growing some kind of green crop, say a crop of buckwheat, 

 sowed rather thick and plowed under when coming into bloom. This 

 will help to prevent the loss of nitrates which bare laud suffers from 

 washing, and will improve the soil by increasing the supply of veget- 

 able matter in it. 



When necessary at, any stage in the above method of cultivating 

 either stubble-ground or sod, say for mangels, use a grubber or sub- 

 soil plow to stir the soil to a greater depth than is reached by the 

 surface cultivation. 



Fig. 31. 



Chicory, or Wild Succory. 



Cichorium intyhus, (L). 



A perennial weed introduced from Europe, with long, deep tap- 

 root, which, when dried and ground up, is used in adulterating coffee 

 and as a substitute for it. The stems are almost leafless, from 1 to 3 

 feet high, much branched, slightly hairy and whitish in color. The 

 leaves, spread out on the ground, are long, with irregular edges. The 

 flower heads are numerous, occuring in clusters, without flower stalks, 

 on the naked branches. The flowers are about 1| inches across, bright 

 blue in color, and are usually closed by noon. The seed is about 1-8 



