I08 MISSOURI AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



have been able to crop the ground continuously in the past is no assur- 

 ance that it can be done in the future. 



The fact is that the time is near at hand when we must pay greater 

 attention "to the fertility of our soil, to the conserving and restoring of 

 the elements of plant food or we will soon be compelled to pay out mil- 

 lions of dollars each year for these elements in the form of commercial 

 fertilizers as is now done in the east. 



The tremendous importance attached to this question cannot be ap- 

 l)rcciated by those who have had no experience in using commercial fer- 

 tilizers in the older settled parts of our country. 



What is needed is more clover, better use of the barn yard manure 

 and less of the continuous cropping with corn and oats. 



FALL PLOWING FOR CORN. 



There is a great diversity of opinions regarding the merits of fall 

 and spring plowing, even in the same neighborhood. Among the ad- 

 vantages of fall plowing may be named the following points : 



1st. The work can be done at the slackest time in the year when 

 both men and teams would otherwise be idle. 



2nd. Having the ground already plowed in the spring gives us 

 time to better prepare the ground and what is of equally great impor- 

 tance, to get our corn in on time. 



3rd. Better prepared and warmer seed bed and consequently a 

 better stand of corn. 



4th. Less danger from insect injuries, especially in the case of 

 scd ground. 



5th. Weeds are prevented from seeding and the seeds already in 

 llie ground will mostly germinate and be killed by the fall freezes before 

 seeding. This is especially true of early fall plowing. 



DISADVANTAGES. 



1st. Occasional losses from blowing and washing. 



2nd. Unless the ground is disced early in the spring there is loss 

 of moisture and a consequent "firing" of the corn during tlie latter part 

 of July and August, especially in dry seasons. 



3rd. The fall plowing does not give as good an opportunity to 

 spread manure during the late summer and through the winter. 



During the past year the Soils Department of the Iowa State Col- 

 lege conducted experiments with fall and spring plowing in different 

 parts of Iowa and in every case the yields of corn were greater on the 

 fall plowing than on the spring plowing. While the evidence is generally 



