THE CULTURE OF FARM CROPS. 



CHAPTEK XXVI. 



HARROWING. ITS EFFECTS UPON THE SOIL AND ITS 

 RELATION TO THE GROWTH OF CROPS. 



The harrow is undoubtedly the most important implement 

 that is used in the preparation of the soil for farm crops. 

 While it follows the plow, and as a rule cannot be used un- 

 til the plow has done its work in breaking up the soil, its 

 effect in pulverizing the ground is still more necessary to 

 the growth of plants. If a proof were wanting, the exceed- 

 ingly low average of the yield of the crops in the South, 

 where good harrows are rarely seen, would furnish it suffi- 

 ciently to convince any intelligent farmer. Where a nat- 

 urally rich soil, under a favorable climate produces no more 

 than 5 bushels of wheat; 10 bushels of corn; 150 Ibs. of cot- 

 ton to the acre; there must be something wrong; and this 

 is, beyond a doubt, to be found in the most imperfect tillage 

 of the soils. 



When the land is plowed the soil is turned over in layers 

 lying side by side, and having, more or less of open space 

 between these layers. Unless these layers are perfectly 

 broken up and the soil is pulverized so as to fill up all these 

 spaces, the seed falls into these vacancies, where it germi- 

 nates and sends out its spire and roots. The young plant, 

 at first subsisting upon the nutriment contained in the seed, 

 soon pushes its roots into the soil for the purpose of finding 

 food, and moisture whereby it can absorb this food. The 

 roots thus pushed out under the unfavorable circumstances 

 here described, fail to find any mellow compact soil into 

 which they can enter, but vainly spreading in search of it 

 wither and perish, and as soon as the seed is exhausted of 

 the nutriment in it the young spire also dies. This is the 

 reason why, of the more than one million seeds that are con- 

 tained in a bushel and a half of wheat, and which are suffi- 

 cient to give 25 plants to every square foot in an acre, or 



