PREPARING LAND FOR AN ORCHARD 55 



turning the furrows out and leaving a dead furrow in the center of 

 the plowed area. Another method, which is employed many times 

 with the larger gang plows like the tractor, is to proceed across the 

 field, turning the furrows to the right, make a long turn at the 

 end of the field without plowing, and then plow back across 

 the field. This will leave several dead furrows, as well as some 

 " backf urrows, " which are formed by the furrows plowed against 

 each other. 



With the landside plows — either the single or the small gang — 

 the land may be laid off into long strips and backfurrowing begun 

 at once. The backfurrowing consists in plowing a furrow across 

 the field, with equal unplowed space from 2 to 4 rods wide on each 

 side. The second furrow is made by plowing back against the first, 

 thereby turning up more or less of a ridge. Another furrow is 

 then made back of the first, followed by one backing up the second, 

 and so on until the strip is plowed. 



When all the strips are finished, the headlands, or ends of 

 furrows, should be plowed by beginning at one corner and going 

 across the ends of the former furrows, throwing the furrow slice 

 toward the plowed ground. If desired, this finishing may be done 

 while plowing the backfurrow strips. 



With the reversible plows the work is generally commenced on 

 one side and the furrows all turned in the same direction, leaving 

 but one dead furrow at the end. However, these plows may also 

 be used in following the plan just described. 



Good plowing consists in making the furrows uniform, whether 

 flat or on edge, and in all cases the efficiency of the work is 

 increased by straight furrows. 



Rolling. Before harrowing the land it is sometimes advantageous 

 to roll the furrows, especially when a sod or a cover crop has just 

 been plowed under. Rolling aids in firming the soil, thereby increas- 

 ing the chance of capillarity ; at the same time it has a tendency 

 to fine somewhat the larger lumps of soil and the furrow slices. 



After the soil has been plowed, rolled, and harrowed, it is 

 rolled and harrowed again. A finer-prepared field results from 

 this treatment. 



A planker is often substituted for the roller, the claim being that 

 the former is more of a grinding tool than the latter and does 



