Tillage The Earth Mulch. 117 



excess of moisture from the clouds for weeks this season. The 

 earth even where well drained has been constantly too wet. When 

 there came a drying day between rains I have gone onto my land 

 when I would do some injury from its being too wet and culti- 

 vated just to dry it out a little before the next rain, or quicker, so 

 we could do some finer tillage soon after. The drains prevented 

 any water ever standing on surface, but weeks of rain kept the 

 earth saturated and sodden to the last degree and we must help it 

 to get rid of the excess and let the air in a little. But this is very 

 seldom necessary, or wise. One better stay off of his land till it is 

 dry enough, as a rule, and then push things. But once in a while 

 he must choose between two evils, as much as he dislikes to. 



There is one thing certain, a man cannot set a day before- 

 hand to go fishing or to a picnic if he means to do his best in 

 tillage. Such thorough work keeps him tied up. He can get 

 plenty of time for recreation during the season, if he arranges all 

 around, somewhat as we do doesn't try to do too much, etc. But 

 he must not set a day beforehand. I have made some friends quite 

 angry because I refused to leave home in the tillage season, or to 

 agree to leave and picnic with them on a fixed day. It might be 

 just the very day when I ought to be forming 12 acres of earth 

 mulch, and a day or two's delay might mean a large money loss. 

 Business first. This very week I was invited to attend a meeting 

 of the agricultural students at our State University. I much 

 wanted to go, but felt it my duty to practice what I preach, and 

 tend to the farm, particularly as the weather is exceptionally bad 

 and moments when we can get onto the land precious. Let the 

 men attend to the farm while you are gone ? Yes, and let the 

 soldi-ers go into battle without any officers. The master's eye at 

 least is constantly needed. A very slight mistake, or a little 

 carelessness or more likely not knowing from long experience just 

 what was best, might cost me a number of dollars. And still I 

 am not particularly after the money now ; it is more because I do 

 not like to come short of doing my best. 



We do not wait until the crop is up so we can cultivate before 

 beginning to check evaporation, not by any means, in an ordinary 

 season. We can, perhaps, save much water before that time. 

 Harrowing right after plowing helps, and again soon after a rain, 

 before the crop is planted and after. Kven if the crop is up 

 enough to cultivate, we may harrow or use weeder first, because 

 we can get over ground and check evaporation very much sooner. 

 When one understands all about this it is surprising in how many 

 ways he can help himself. 



Now allow me to say a few words about tillage in a general 

 way as a means of unlocking plant food in the soil that would 

 otherwise remain inaccessible to the crops. 



We have little poor land in this section, but we have 

 plenty of unproductive land. Very often this unproductive land, 



