Plowing Before Planting. gI 
at the first plowing or later. Such treatment of old grain land 
breaks up the old hard-pan, which has probably been tormed by 
years of shallow culture. The preparation should continue 
during the following summer, and can often be made both thor- 
ough and profitable by the growth of a summer “hoed crop,” 
the culture of which will kill out many weeds and secure good 
pulverization of the soil. 1f no summer crop is grown, the land 
should be kept in cultivation by plowing the weeds under as 
long as the surface soil retains moisture enough to start them. 
A special advantage of such summer-fallow in regions where the 
rainfall is apt to be short is that, by prevention of evaporation, 
the trees or vines set the following winter will have a good part 
of the rainfall of two seasons to grow with, and the result will 
often be very noticeable. If there are supplies of manure avail- 
able, as is often found in old corrals on our grain or stock farms, 
it is better to gather and apply this the winter before the plant- 
ing of the trees. If this work is not done, then it should be left 
until after the trees are planted, and then be spread upon the sur- 
face during the winter, and plowed in in the spring after it has 
been in part leached into the soil by the rains. Application 
should be made evenly all over the surface and not massed 
around the roots of the trees, unless it is to be applied as a 
mulch to the surface after the spring cultivation is over, as will 
be considered later. 
If it is thought desirable to plant the land immediately after 
breaking up, put in the plows as early in the fall as it is possible 
to do deep work, that is, to plow to a depth of ten or twelve 
inches, or more. Harrow thoroughly. If it is still early, cross- 
plow also deeply when the land pulverizes well, and follow in 
the furrow with the subsoil plow. working to a depth of fourteen 
inches or more. For this kind of work good teams are needed, 
and the plow should be sharp and bright. If the work is hard 
for the team, set the plow so as to take less land, but do not 
sacrifice the depth. Harrow again thoroughly, and the land is 
ready for the trees or vines. 
‘Avoiding Dead Furrows——Unless dead furrows can be used 
to advantage for surface drainage in case of heavy rain-storms, 
it will be of decided convenience in laying off to have the field 
free from them. This can, of course, be secured by beginning 
the final plowing at a line in the center of the field, turning all 
furrows inwards. In this case, too, if a right-hand plow is used, 
the team will always turn on unplowed land, and thus avoid 
trampling upon and packing the loose soil. The slight ridge in 
the center of the fieid formed by the first two furrows can be 
easily leveled by a couple of back furrows, and when properly 
harrowed the field will be found smooth as a floor for staking 
out for planting. 
