50 CAMPBELL'S SOIL CULTURE MANUAL 



is favorable to the most rapid movement of moisture by 

 capillary attraction; one that is most favorable to the de- 

 velopment of the greatest anunmt of available fertility, 

 and one that is favorable to the most prolific growth 

 and development of the lateral roots, with their thous- 

 ands of little feeders. This condition cannot be secured 

 at its best and the largest productive results obtained 

 without thoroughly plowing, pulverizing and packing the 

 soil each and every year. 



All of the above mentioned conditions are gained by 

 plowing at a sufficient depth to stir the soil which will 

 later contain the major part of feeding roots. 



In further discussing the question of what is the proper 

 physical condition of the soil when plowing is done, we 

 would call your attention to the furrow as it is turned over 

 by the plow when the soil is simply moist neither very 

 wet nor very dry. How nicely each little particle of soil 

 seems to separate, one from the other, when, if too dry, 

 a cloddy condition is observed; and the same is true when 

 the soil is too wet. We should try to secure the most 

 uniform, fine condition of our soil for the four-fold pur- 

 pose above referred to. By close observation and careful 

 attention to these important points we may secure a 

 crop result fully one hundred per cent greater than we 

 could obtain if these items were disregarded. 



PROPER DEPTH OF PLOWING 



Let us first consider the simple question of deep, me- 

 dium, or shallow plowing from its standpoint alone, with- 

 out considering the condition of the soil at the time, or 

 the kind of tools we are going to use after plowing. 



This brings us to the position of the average plowman 



