METHODS OF SOIL MANAGEMENT 127 



rough condition in order to collect the rains and snows during the winter. 

 This will result in storage of the winter rainfall and prevent erosion, 

 unless by chance the land is steep and rains are very heavy. Under the 

 latter conditions it may not be wise to practice fall plowing. In warmer 

 latitudes plowing may be done during the winter, and when land is plowed 

 in the autumn it should be seeded with a cover crop to prevent erosion. 

 In the Northern states and Canada fall plowing is generally recommended, 

 but in the South spring plowing is considered preferable. Spring plowing, 

 unless it be very early, should be harrowed soon afterward in order to 



A BADLY ERODED FiELD. 1 

 Damage of this character reflects no credit on American agriculture. 



conserve soil moistures. Generally it will be found good practice to 

 harrow towards the close of each day the land that has been plowed during 

 the day. If the soil is rather dry and weather conditions very dry, it may 

 be better to harrow it each half day. In case of sod and compact soil, 

 disking in advance of plowing is advised. 



Depth of Plowing. The depth of plowing is determined by the 

 character of the soil and the kind of crop to be grown. In general, fall 

 plowing should be deeper than spring plowing. Deep-rooted crops call 



1 Courtesy of United States Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Soils. From " Soil Survey of Fair- 

 field County, South Carolina." 



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