| Show PREPARING SEED BED get rid of numerous air spaces by firming soil effective work ghouls be do dono dona jut just after plowing ull kainu orlif either aub surface packer or disk set act straight and weighted two methods of preparing the seed bed on dry land aru la in vogue ono by plowing the other by disking we occasionally find other methods such as listing but not corn com conly far more often wo we find a seed bod with absolutely no l reparation at all and thia this la in surely not arming where deop deep tillage la Is so ISO essential sent emenual ial in preparing the seed bed with the plow we must consider tha the depth and the time to plow mhd depth of plowing depends on the type of boll noll tho the previous loua til tillage lago the crop to bo be grown the time tho the plowing in ao 10 dono done tho the amount of water in the soil sol and the prevailing climatic condition conditions when done shortly before seeding et pec lally in our dry regions the plow ing should be shallow unless the tun fur r row tow slice Is sufficiently moist to per mit of packing and alf ity of help in 1 available to pack the furrow slice from observations during two e ex tha dry years I 1 would say that moro crops are lost from a loose poorly prepared seed bed than from lack of cultivation it is absolutely essential in dry land that the feed seed bed be arm firm A loose seed bed dries out unless opportune rains keep it moist if it dries the crop suffers and the younger the crop and tho the deeper the loose seed bed extend extends the greater the extent of injury whenever the soil is plowed numerous air spaces are found in the furrow slice where clods weeds or litter are turned under writes W W burr in denver field and farm we must set get rid of these air spaces by firming the boll soil for the movement of air through these larger open paces spaces will very rapidly dry cut the loll 1011 aside from the larger open spaces the soli soil particles falling failing from the plow are ire not set close together they rave bave comparatively few points of contact thus the movement of water from one ono to the other is to slow while the passage of the air through the eoll soil is to much greater than when the soli soil has been firmed and as a consequence the round ground dries out more quickly this Is of vital importance if any crop is sown gown on a seed bed prepared only by the plow and harrow barrow there may be sufficient water vater in the upper part of the soil soll where the particles have been brought quite closely together by harrowing to germinate the seed but the harrow stirs only two of or three inches of soil As soon as the crop has used the moisture in these few inches it will suffer buffer unless opportune rains come to supply it with water until its roots can get through tho loose layer below it if light rains keep the upper few inches moist the roots will probably tend to stay nearer the surface rather than push through the loose soli soil the time to arm firm the furrow slice is just after the plowing Is done it if the surface is allowed to dry cry out it cannot be packed if there is sufficient clent moisture to plow well there will be enough to park the firming may be done alth either EL subsurface packer or a disk set and weighted tEd this firming of the soli soil to get rid of air spaces and bring the particles in closer contact Is in more essential on soils that have a tendency to become loose and ashy and in regions of rainfall heavier soils settle more than the lighter onea ones in regions of greater rainfall the rain min falling upon the plowed surface beats the particles more closely together and washes the finer particles down into the open spaces and the soil may not need mechanical ch firming |
