164 Our Farming. 



Late years I prefer to not do a large amount of tillage on 

 land after plowing before planting. The clover sod is pretty mel- 

 low, anyway. The clay land in the field needs extra tillage, but 

 the rest may be quite well fitted by once passing over with 

 smoothing harrow with a plank and my weight on it. This, if 

 done soon after plowing, before it dries out, in a dry time, or after 

 a shower when it gets dry enough. The former plan is the 

 safest, because if you wait the shower may not come, and then 

 you have a job working down what would have fallen to pieces 

 with a touch at just the right time. For the clay land the use of 

 cutaway or disc harrow and then smoothing harrow and then roller 

 does best, and then if not fine enough repeat. I confess I used to 

 put a good deal more work on my land before planting, but do 

 not think it pays now on the mellow parts. Heavy rains may 

 pack it all down. Bear in mind, however, that it plows up mel- 

 low, and the one harrowing is pretty thorough, with at least three 

 horses for power. I used to use four, but three abreast do about 

 as well as four, two ahead of the others. After the harrowing 

 we roll just ahead of planter. I prefer not to roll any more than 

 is planted, as in case of rain the loose land will catch it better 

 and dry quicker. If it rains before we finish the planting we will 

 probably harrow again before rolling any more, using the smooth- 

 ing harrow. If heavy and long-continued rains should come it 

 would be well to use the disc harrow or cutaway to loosen up the 

 soil again, and then smooth and roll. If this must be done, 

 I prefer to do it crosswise, and then harrow lengthwise with 

 smoothing harrow. But this does not work very well in a long, 

 narrow field partly planted. I like to get a field all planted before 

 a rain, so as to have it all alike, and usually can ; but this year 

 it was nearly five weeks from the time we began until we got 

 through. Mercy, what a time ! I assure you if I hadn't done 

 better some years than this I wouldn't do any preaching. As it is, 

 I feel pretty meek. Never in my life have I been so constantly 

 thwarted. Perhaps it is to teach me not to be so sure man can 

 conquer under almost any circumstances. Well, if it would only 

 let up on the rain and give me a chance to try ! 



We may as well decide, now the land is ready, whether to 

 plant in hills or drills. I will take the drills every time. This 

 is contrary to what was once best, perhaps, but conditions have 

 changed. With my long strips of cultivated land I want only 

 rows one way, the long way. Cannot afford to cultivate cross- 

 wise ; no need of it whatever now. It was necessary once in order 

 to keep crops clean more with horse work and less with hand 

 labor. By cultivating both ways, twice in a row, there was little 

 left for the hoe to do. But this was before the days of smooth- 

 ing harrows and weeders. Now, we can nearly always, on drained 

 land, keep crop practically clean without any hand hoeing at all, 

 so what is the use of cultivating both ways ? Perhaps you will 



