12 



through it the organic materials commonly returned 

 to the soil. The walking plow is doubtless the most 

 popular with vegetable gardeners, on account of 

 the relatively small areas involved. In the larger 

 areas the sulky gang plows are coming into much 

 more common use. 



The time of plowing is of especial importance, 

 yet this depends to a considerable extent upon the 

 type of soil and climatic conditions. Fall plowing 

 is practiced more extensively in vegetable garden- 

 ing than in general farming. Other things equal, 

 the fall-plowed land will dry out much more quickly 

 in the spring and can, therefore, be prepared and 

 planted earlier. Fall plowing lessens to a consider- 

 able extent the amount of early spring work and 

 increases the chances for all crops to be planted 

 on time and cared for properly. Fall-plowed land 

 catches and holds the rainfall of winter to a greater 

 extent, permitting it to percolate down into the 

 earth rather than to run off the surface. In other 

 words, the soil reservoir is more thoroughly filled with 

 moisture that may be made available for plant growth 

 during the following season. Many insect enemies are 

 also exposed to the destroying agencies of cold and 

 thus reduce their damage to a considerable extent. The 

 practice is more common in the north than in the 

 south, largely for the reason that the frosts of the 

 severe winters break and loosen the soil to a more 

 marked degree. In the southern regions where 

 plowing may be practiced almost the entire year 

 round the danger of an over-accumulation of work 

 at a certain particular season is not so marked, and 

 fall plowing is not so necessary for this reason. 

 The advantages of fall plowing are especially 

 marked with the heavier types of soils. The advan- 



