PREPARING THE SEEDBED 



8 9 



was not in condition to furnish the plant food, the 

 beets were stunted and the crops on rich fields were a 

 failure and a loss to the farmers. The next year beets 

 planted on these fields, plowed to the same depth as the 

 previous year, produced paying crops. 



As a rule, spring plowing should not be deeper 

 than previous plowings, or if so, the change in depth 



from year to year 

 should be gradual, 

 not more than an 

 inch or so in any 

 one year. Of 

 course, this prac- 

 tice will vary with 

 the texture of the 

 soil. A lighter soil 

 may be plowed 

 deeper or shallower 

 from year to year 

 than a heavier soil. 

 The time of plow- 

 ing will determine 

 to a considerable 

 extent the depth. 

 Fall plowing can 

 be deep without 

 danger of injury 

 to the crop. This 

 is particularly true 

 in the colder climates, where the soil is frozen deeply 

 during the winter. 



Freezing mellows the soil, and by allowing the air 

 to circulate between the soil particles, the plant food is 

 put in usable form. The practice of deep fall plowing 

 is particularly beneficial upon the heavier soils, as it 

 increases the depth of the seedbed and consequent 



Fig 25— Homemade Land Roller 



An effective but simple homemade land roller 

 is here shown. Cover cast-iron mower wheels 

 with 2X4's any suitable length, seven feet a good 

 Size. The projections from the surface of the 

 wheels can be first removed with a heavy ham- 

 mer and cold chisel. Have blacksmith drill the 

 holes, one every four inches on alternate edges 

 of the wheel, for half inch bolts. Bolt the jour- 

 nal boxes under the frame and use set screws in 

 hubs. Make the frame of 4x4 stuff. Cuttenons 

 in end pieces to fit mortises in front and brick, 

 and cut mortises in end pieces eight inches from 

 shoulder of tenon for the second front and back 

 pieces. These second pieces make the frame 

 rigid, if properly put together. Notch the 

 tongue one inch where it crosses frames and 

 brace with heavy iron straps. A seat can be 

 attached by bolting on two light wagon wheel 

 rims. 



