Show PURPOSE OF TILLAGE time for killing weeds and grass Is before planting cultivation Is means for controlling water supply finer the soil 18 pulverized more rapidly mole ture moves upward the farmer who cultivates ate crops simply tor the purpose of killing weeds and grass Is wasting both time and labor it must be remembered that the main time for killing such pests Is before planting our crops or before the grass and weeds make their appearance pe arance just after the tiny seeds are germinated and before the young tender sprouts come through the top soil Is the proper time for doing a large portion of this work I 1 find that the drag or harrow does this work more satisfactorily and better than any other implement we can use writes william hart harrlson of clr glela in farm and life this work must be done frequently some time prior to planting when possible go over fields with the harrow once a week in this way weeds and grass will not only be exterminated but the soil will be kept mellow and loose being very little trouble to get la order when planting time arrives of course there are times when rainy wet spells occur that the grass and weeds often will get ahead of the best and most practical farmers and only can be then checked or got rid of by deep plowing or burning but this Is an exception pulverizing the soil then allowing the air to enter la essential this causes plantford plant food to become more available Us a fact some crops grow without any alon whatever now take the average hay crop or an illustration this crop often stands for years without haying a particle of work yet still producing annually the finest crops of the best quality of hay but such crops require a double supply of moisture and it nature falls to supply this quantity of moisture grass and hay fields begin at once to wither and dry up rapidly now this brings to light the tact that water Is the principal factor for the growth and life of all plants TU lage or cultivation is simply the means tor controlling the water supply so one of the principal objects of tillage burbig the growing period Is to main tain and distribute this supply of wa ter to meet the necessary need of crops water reaches the soil in the shape of rain and goes down until it reaches what we might call a water table or a place of accumulation now when the surface soil becomes dry this wa ter constantly moves upward furnish ing moisture for the growing crops in a season ahls is the reason why frequently shallow cultivated crops do not suffer so much in a dry spell as the bools ture from the water below Is constant ly rising through the loose soil passing out into the open air so you can readily see the addan tage of this frequent shallow alon in dry weather because if allowed to crust or become bard no room would there be for he moisture to rise and pass out the finer the soil Is pulverized more rapidly the water and moisture moves upward so cultivate our crop often and shallow especially in dry er and see that such ork Is continued until crops are nearly made this always insures best results reaping heavier weight la crops and also much heavier or larger yields at harvest time try it and be convinced |