134 SOILS 



as light a draft as possible. It should pulverise 

 the soil as well as turn it. 



WHEN TO PLOW 



Most plowing is done either in early spring, just 

 before the planting of the crop, or late in the fall. 

 The chief factor that decides this question is that 

 of convenience. The best time to plow, however, 

 depends upon the climate, the soil and the crop, 

 as well as upon the convenience of the farmer. 

 It is not necessarily the same for adjacent farms. 



Fall Plowing. Land is plowed in the fall chiefly 

 in two cases ; to improve its texture and to prepare 

 it for fall seeding. Clayey soils, if not liable to 

 puddle, are benefited most because it exposes them 

 to weathering. Sandy soils may be greatly in- 

 jured by fall plowing, because they are already too 

 leachy. Where there is danger of washing from 

 plowing clayey soils in the fall Roberts recom- 

 mends that single furrows be drawn across the 

 field about four or five feet apart; as, for example, 

 between rows of corn. These improve the soil by 

 weathering, make it earlier and it does not run 

 together or puddle. These furrows are easily 

 levelled in spring with a scantling chained cross- 

 wise under the front end of the harrow, and driven 

 lengthwise of the furrow. This makes more work, 

 but it pays on cold, wet clays. It should never be 

 practised on any soils that wash badly during the 

 winter. 



Fall plowing is practised more in growing wheat 

 and otner cereals, and in market gardening, than 

 for other crops. It is an almost universal practice 

 in many sections of the West. It should be done 

 early, when the ground is fairly dry. An incidental 



