MANAGEMENT OF THE SOIL 29 



pared for planting by ploAvlng and harrowing and 

 if necessary rolling or dragging, the next proceed- 

 ing will depend on the nature of the crop and the 

 character of the soil. If crops are to be planted 

 broadcast, the seed will now be sown and it will be har- 

 rowed in. No tillage is possible, as a rule, with broad- 

 cast crops, so that this completes the labor until the 

 harvest. If small grain is to be drilled instead of 

 broadcasted, the land is now ready for the drill. For 

 most crops, that are to be planted in rows, like corn, 

 no further preparation is necessary, but the seed drill 

 is run over the level land, or a light furrow is opened 

 and the seed dropped by hand. For cotton, how- 

 ever, and for most vegetable crops on wet lands the 

 soil is bedded up before planting by throwing two 

 furrows together and running the planter on top of 

 the low ridge thus formed. If the beds are too high, 

 they can be partially leveled with the drag. 



For sugar cane, however, on w^ell-drained lands and 

 for many other crops in dry countries the practice is 

 just the reverse. A deep furrow is opened with a 

 double moldboard plow or lister, the seed is planted 

 in the bottom of the furrow and is lightly covered, 

 the planting furrow being gradually filled in by till- 

 age as the crop growls. On light friable soils the 

 preliminary plowing and harrowing is often dis- 

 pensed with for such crops as corn and cotton, the 

 listing furrow being opened or the bed thrown up 

 with the soil in the condition left by the previous crop. 

 This, of course, saves much labor, but it is not prac- 

 ticable on heav}^ refractory soils. If fertilizers are 

 used, they should be applied so as to be incorporated 



