2io Our Farming. 



was finally worked down and ready for seeding, it looked no dif- 

 ferent, particularly, from usual, but; I knew it was a more thor- 

 ough job than I had ever done before. Well, what was the re- 

 sult? Ten 'bushels more wheat per acre than the field had pro- 

 duced before, and no manure put on since raising the last crop. 

 Then I felt good, you know. The investment had paid. I could 

 pay the note and have money left. Of course, that cultivator was 

 used even more the next fall. Good neighbors said, as they saw 

 me keep tearing up the land : ' ' Terry will do almost anything if 

 you only let him ride. ' ' But Terry's riding was only an incidental 

 matter. Success is what Terry was after. Well, the second year 

 I got thirteen bushels more wheat per acre on another field than 

 it had produced before, and no manure used, except clover sod in 

 rotation, of course. My old friend, Mr. Lemon, of Northfield, 

 who sold me the tool, called here not long ago and we talked over 

 the start I got in tillage from his trusting me for a cultivator. 

 Now, I do not say all this great gain came from the better tillage. 

 The season may have been better, or the clover growing may have 

 been increasing the available fertility, but I feel sure a good, large 

 slice of that ten and thirteen bushels per acre came directly from 

 the better preparation of the land. It will not matter if you de- 

 cide that a part was due to the clover. I am presenting the 

 claims of both tillage and clover, for making enough plant food 

 available to grow a large crop of wheat. 



After our potatoes, so much tillage is not needed, as the land 

 has been worked nearly all summer. I would not allow it plowed, 

 when preparing it, as there would not be time to get it settled 

 again properly after potato digging time. We now work it 

 lengthwise and crosswise with cutaway harrow (will try Clark's 

 revolving cutaway plow this fall) and then use Thomas to smooth 

 and level it, and then roll and harrow and roll until we get it as 

 fine and firm as we can. This is done all at once, as there is no 

 time to wait. If preparing oat stubble or sod ground, where there 

 was plenty of time, I would work every few days, particularly as 

 soon as it was dry enough after showers. When I drill in the 

 wheat with my Empire drill, I want the soil so firm that a horse 

 hardly sinks in more than an inch. We go over it until really a 

 horse has stepped on nearly all of it. But always remember, this 

 must be done when it is reasonably dry ; in fact, I prefer it quite 

 dry. You can do no damage then. Some use the drag or float 

 or clod crusher, as it is called in different sections, in the place of 

 the roller. This is made of planks or scantlings, and drawn over 

 the surface it makes it look nice and smooth. But a roller draws 

 easier and packs more, as it seems to me. Think a moment. The 

 crusher has a large bearing surface and little weight. The roller 

 with me on, and some stones, has a large weight and a small bearing 

 surface on the ground at a time. Which will do the most pack- 

 ing ? I must have a roller. They cost but little now, anyway. 

 I roll always the last thing before drilling, but never afterwards. 



