Tillage 69 



The main question is the yield. Those who have tried it 

 most thoroughly are most confident that the yield is 

 fully as good in hills as in rows. 



TILLAGE 



A few special points regarding tillage are worthy of 

 attention. The first of importance is that it should begin 

 early in spring. Most soils are fairly loose and mellow 

 when the frost first leaves, but many become very hard 

 after a few spring rains have beaten them down and the 

 sun has dried them out. With favorable weather, so that 

 cultivation can be started promptly after the frost leaves, 

 the surface of nearly all soils can be readily put in good 

 condition with any ordinary cultivator. If left until it 

 becomes dry and hard, almost any cultivator will fail to 

 do this, except on light and porous soils. A plow is some- 

 times used for the first working, but this is not desirable. 

 Even with a light plow, and turning as shallow a furrow 

 as possible, the surface is left in an unfavorable condition. 

 If the furrows are turned from the rows the roots may 

 be disturbed and many of them are left too near the sur- 

 face. If turned toward the rows a ridge is formed under- 

 neath the plants, which soon becomes objectionable if 

 the process is repeated, unless some means are used to 

 work it down again. 



When cover-crops are used, it is especially important to 

 start the work early in spring, if it is to be done with the 

 cultivator alone, unless the crop is one which is killed down 

 by the winter. Tillage should be frequent throughout 

 the early part of the season, in order to maintain a good 



