Preparation of Seed-Bed and Planting - 105 



beets. When left undisturbed for a number of years, the 

 soil becomes compact and is not in the best condition for 

 crop growth. It is necessary, therefore, to loosen it by 

 the use of some tillage implement, preferably the plow. 

 In cultivating the soil to improve tilth, attention must 

 be given to the amount of moisture present. A soil 

 plowed when too wet will become more compact than it 

 was before plowing. 



Plowing should mean more than the mere turning over 

 of the soil. If plowing is well done, every clod will be 

 shattered and every particle have its relation to every 

 other particle changed through the shearing action that 

 should take place when the plowed slice is turned over. 

 As the soil falls into the furrow, it should be a granular 

 mellow mass of loose particles. The kind of plow that 

 will best produce this condition varies with each soil. 

 Sand or loam may be made mellow with any kind of plow, 

 but a heavy clay without organic matter can be given a 

 good tilth only when every condition is favorable. 



Organic matter accumulates at the surface of any soil 

 that is cropped. In the orchard, leaves fall ; in the grain 

 field, stubble is left after harvest ; and in meadows that 

 are to be followed by another crop, a sod must be turned 

 under. These plant residues cannot decompose readily if left 

 at the surface ; they need to be turned under and mixed with 

 the soil in order to decay and give up their plant-foods as 

 well as to assist in making available the mineral matter 

 of the soil. Farm manure is constantly being applied 

 to the land, and must be covered and mixed with the soil 

 if it is to do the most good. Practically all of this cover- 

 ing must be done with some kind of plow, although the 



