SOIL MOISTURE AND PREPARATION OF SOIL. 69 



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FIG. 21. A GOOD PLOW. 



Parts of a Plow. a. The standard, or stock, to which many 

 parts are attached. b. The beam, by which the plow is drawn. 

 f. Handles. d. Clevis. By placing the ring in the upper holes of 

 the clevis, the plow is made to run deep; by placing the ring in 

 the lower holes, the plow is made to run shallow; by moving the 

 clevis to the right, the plow is made to cut a wider furrow. e. 

 The share, which cuts the bottom of the furrow slice. f. The 

 mouldboard, which turns and breaks the furrow slice. //. The 

 coulter which, when fastened to the beam, just in front of mould- 

 board, cuts the furrow slice from the land, and in disk-form is 

 useful in turning under weeds. i. The jointer, which skims stub- 

 ble and grass from the soil, and throws them into the bottom of 

 the furrow to be completely covered, and helps to pulverize the 

 soil. j. The truck, or wheel, attached to the end of the beam 

 which steadies the plow and lightens the draft. 



nor so dry as that near the surface. For winter 

 wheat, if the ground has been plowed in the 

 spring, it will require only shallow plowing, or, 

 if an open soil, disking may be sufficient. 



If plowing is for the purpose of drying and 

 warming the land in the early spring the fur- 

 row slices should not be turned down flat, but 

 allowed to incline at an angle to allow the air 



