CHAPTER XXI II 



Disk Plows 



THE disk plow has altogether a different effect upon 

 the ground than the mouldboard plow. The mould- 

 board plow turns the earth with a crunching, pinching, 

 pulverizing motion while the disk plow turns the earth 

 with a rolling motion. Naturally the earth turned with 

 a disk plow will have more clods and larger ones than 

 when turned with a mouldboard plow. The scrapers 

 aid the disks very materially in covering trash and reduc- 

 ing the size of the clods. 



Oftentimes ground becomes too dry to be successfully 

 turned with a mouldboard plow. Primarily the disk 

 plow was designed for turning soils in this dry, hard 

 condition. It becomes apparent at once that such a 

 plow can be used to good advantage in localities where 

 fall sown crops are to be planted and the summer rain- 

 fall is apt to be scant. The rolling motion of the disk 

 turning the furrow leaves the ground in a looser condi- 

 tion than a mouldboard plow, hence it better absorbs 

 the rainfall that may come before the time of planting. 

 For this reason there are plenty of farms on which both 

 disk and mouldboard plows can be profitably operated 

 in the season better adapted to their use. 



The disk plows are in common use in gumbo, hardpan 

 and black waxy soils where mouldboard plows will not 

 scour. 



