162 DRY FARMING 



and on plowed stubble, 23 bus. 16 lbs. On older and 

 more weedy land the increase from plowing is very much 

 greater although on new clean land the second crop after 

 fallowing is sometimes more profitable if left unplowed. 



133. Early Fall Preferable to Late Fall Cultivation. 

 — In the 1911 wheat crop early fall plowing increased 

 the yield 1 bus. 36 lbs. over fall plowing done three 

 weeks later. In 1913 the increase due to the earlier work 

 was 1 bus. 12>4 lbs., while in 1914 it was 3 bus. 4 lbs. per 

 acre. The increase from early double disking was 1 bus. 

 10 lbs. per acre. It is often impossible to plow land 

 early after harvest on account of its hard, dry condition. 

 It. is sometimes impossible to get time to disc it, but if it 

 is planned to carry out either of these practices the 

 sooner it can be done the better the results are likely 

 to be. 



134. Avoid Working Tight Clay Soils when too Wet. — 

 In the spring of 1913 some sticky clay portions of our 

 investigation field were plowed when the soil was too 

 wet, with the result that they "baked", and the yield was 

 cut down to less than half that secured on other lighter 

 soils worked at the same time. Light soils are not likely 

 to be hurt by working them too soon after heavy rains, 

 but medium soils may be, and some heavy soils are in- 

 variably injured by this practice. The chief objection to 

 plowing the heavy soil in the Red River Valley in the 

 spring is that it is likely to bake and as a result give a 

 very unsatisfactory germination and early growth. 



135. Harrow the Growing Crop only when there is Cause 

 for so Doing. — "Weeds growing in a crop decrease the 

 yield. Moisture that evaporates produces no wheat. 

 After a crop is up many weeds may be killed, and 

 evaporation from a too firm soil may be lessened by 



