fifteen per cent because of the almost universal practice of deep cultiva- 

 tion after the plant is ten or twelve inches high or after the roots have 

 spread to the point where they can be cut by a cultivator. 



PLOWING 



WHY We Plow," "When to Plow," "How to Plow, "and "The Kind 

 of Plow to Use," are questions which deserve more than a passing 

 notice. Beyond question, haphazard plowing is responsible for more 

 poor crops than any other operation in farming. Hence, we feel that 

 the subject should receive very careful consideration. 



Why We Plow 



Primarily, we plow for the purpose of making a seed-bed and turning 

 under trash. Plowing should also thoroughly pulverize and aerate the 

 soil. We pulverize in order to make available plant food which envel- 

 opes each soil particle. We aerate it in order that the soil may be thor- 

 oughly oxidized, a condition necessary to the healthy maintenance of 

 soil bacteria. We plow for the purpose of increasing the ability of soil 

 to absorb moisture. 



When to Plow 



depends entirely upon the kind, character and condition of the soil and 

 subsoil. No fixed rules can be laid down to govern all cases. The 

 farmer should know his soil and study results. If clay soils are plowed 

 when wet and stirred or cultivated while in that condition, they become 

 puddled and no amount of cultivation will pulverize the lumps. If clay 

 is plowed while wet and exposed to freezing and not stirred until it is 

 dried out, it is mellow and of good tilth. Clay soils or soils where the 

 subsoil is clay and a portion of it is brought to the surface, should be 

 plowed in the fall and left in a roughened state until the lumps have 

 crumbled in the spring after the frost has gone out; in fact, all heavy 

 soils are in a better physical and chemical condition if plowed in the fall 

 and left unmolested until spring and not tilled until the danger of pud- 

 dling is past. 



If thin clay soils are plowed in the spring they should not be tilled 

 until they have dried. If after clay soils are plowed while in a wet con- 

 dition, a quantity of gypsum or lime is spread over the plowed surface, 

 a part of the danger of puddling is obviated. Light, sandy soils and 

 light loams can be plowed at any time with safety. 



How to Plow 



is another important question. As a general rule, unless the ground is 

 very sandy, it is advisable to turn the ridge furrow. A ridge furrow is 



