Campbell's 1902 Soil Culture Manual. 



15 



the bottom of the furrow have all been obliterated by the use of the sub- 

 surface packer, which is illustrated in cut No. 3. These sharp, wedge- 

 faced wheels have both a downward and lateral pressure against 

 the soil in the spaces between them. The soil is moved by the packer in 

 such a manner as to form a firm and evenly compacted stratum. After 

 the packer has been used, by the use of the ordinary smoothing harrow, or 

 the Acme harrow (so-called), the surface is pulverized and made fine, and 

 part of thejower portion of the stratum mentioned and shown in cut No. 2 

 is made firm, forming a perfect seed bed, while the lower portion of the 

 same stratum or furrow slice may be properly termed the root bed. 



With this general explanation, let us return to the question of plow- 

 ing. With the varied experiences of the average farmer throughout the 

 semi-arid west there has arisen a great variety of ideas with reference to 



Cut No. 3. 



depths of plowing, and as to whether it is advisable to even plow more 

 than once in a space of two or three years. Each farmer believing he has 

 conceived a very plausible reason why he should plow three or five inches, 

 or why he should not plow at all. Now, I fully appreciate the honesty and 

 good intentions of the farmer, but the reason there is such a great variety 

 of opinion is because they do not grasp the importance of a certain physi- 

 cal condition of the soil, one that is favorable to holding the largest 

 amount of moisture to the square inch, one that is favorable to the most 

 rapid movement of moisture by capillary attraction, and one that is favor- 

 able to the most prolific growth and development of the lateral roots with 

 their thousands of little feeders. This condition cannot be secured at its 

 best and the largest productive results obtained without thoroughly plow- 

 ing, pulverizing and compacting the soil each and every year. The point 

 gained by the plowing at a sufficient depth to stir the soil which will later 



