42 How THE FARM PAYS. 



detect bad work in harrowing, and consequently men indolent or 

 careless can run over the surface so that it may appear to be well 

 done when it is not. For this reason, it is all-important to have a 

 full examination made of the work, for harrowiDg has everything to 

 do with the welfare of the crop to have the soil thoroughly disinte- 

 grated and pulverized. This harrowing should penetrate to a depth 

 of five or six inches, in order that the soil may be thoroughly and 

 deeply worked. 



Q. You take pretty strong ground in regard to harrowing. Give 

 me your ideas of what is good work and bad work in harrowing ? 



A. Let us take a newly plowed field; the soil is mostly in lumps, 

 small and large. A poor workman runs a harrow over the surface 



ACME HAEKOW. 



and smooths it and makes it fine; it looks well, but it is bad work; it is 

 bad because when one sows seed on such ground it works down 

 under the fine surface and among the lumps and clods, where it may 

 sprout, but soon dies because the soil is too loose and open and is 

 filled with air spaces. A good workman makes his harrow teeth work 

 down in the soil among the lumps at the bottom, and breaks these 

 up, or brings them to the surface, and so works the fine, pulverized 

 soil down where the seed will lie in it, and sprout and grow perfectly 

 because the soil is fine and compact around it. This is good work. 

 It may not look so smooth to the eye, but it is better for the crop. 



Q. But this rough surface would not be suitable for seed; then I 

 presume the use of a roller would be necessary ? 



