222 



THE CEREALS IN AMERICA 



^^:^ 



Tools for preparing seed bed. A, wooden drag ; B, 

 tubular roiler ; C, spring tooth harrow; D, disk 

 >»a< 'ow : E, 8pik« tooth harrow. 



Stony ground. Precise 

 rules cannot be laid down 

 as to number of times or 

 the order in which these 

 tools will be used, since 

 this wall depend largely 

 upon the character and 

 condition of the soil, which 

 must be determined upon 

 the spot 



Very much depends up- 

 on performing each tillage 

 operation when the soil is 

 in just the right condition. 

 Two hours of sunshine will 

 often make the difference 

 between success and fail- 

 ure in the operation of a 

 tillage implement. This 

 is what is meant in part 

 by the couplet : 



He that by the plow would thrive 

 Himself must either hold or drive. 



After the maize is planted, 

 the land should be har- 

 rowed once, at least, with 

 the smoothing harrow be- 

 fore the plant is out of 

 the ground, and on many 

 soils may be successfully 

 harrowed after plants are 

 well up. This second 

 harrowing should not be 

 given just when the maize 



