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Show condition and mellow aurfare favors the abtorptlon o rain and largely pre-renta pre-renta the loia of mater by aurface drainage. The Ideal aoll mulch la produced by loosening the aurface aoll a soon aa It la dry enough to cultivate after tbe rain. The mulch should be mellow and granular, not pulverent and dusty. Avoid producing a "dual" mulch which results from harrowing very dry soil; such soil la likely to blow. Also, the smooth, finely pulverized surface left by continuous light harrowing really defeats the purpose of the cultivation, since soil In such condition will shed heavy rains, causing a waste of water which hould have been stored In tbe soli, ani the surface often becomes too fine and compact, preventing the prop-c prop-c aeration of the soil, aud producing an unfavorable seed bed condition. Thus during the Interval between crop, It It often advisable to use the Acme harrow or the disk, or spring tooth harrow, In order to keep the surface sur-face of the soil open and mellow. Disking and Listing Versus Plowing. A new method for preparing the seed bed Is now coining Into general practice Ir western Kansas. In preparing pre-paring land for wheat, tho plan Is to list the ground with the ordinary corn lister as soon after harvest as possible. The lister furrows are run about three to three and a half feet apart, very much tbe same as when the lister la used for planting corn. Later, when tbe weeds have started, the soil Is worked back Intt the lister furrows by tr.eans of a harrow or disk cultivator. Several cultivations are usually required re-quired by the htrrow and disk harrow hi order to level the field and bring It Into good seed bed condition. Once 1 over with the disk cultivator Is suf- ' ftclent. the further work necessary to prepare the tied bed being given with the common harrow. i HELP IN DRY FARMING Disk Harrow May Be Used a; Substitute for Packer. Essential That Sufficient and Proper Cultivation Be Given to Destroy Weeds More Important Than Soli Mulch. (Br PnOP A. M TEN KVrK, Buprtn-tendrnt Buprtn-tendrnt Kurt lluyi Lperlineut Station.) Sta-tion.) When land Is allowed to He for a considerable period after plowing before be-fore tbe crop Is planted, the settling of tbe soli, with the surface cultivation cultiva-tion to preserve tbe mulch and the cementing due to rain, usually causes the aoll to repack and firm up to a sufficient extent to make a good seed bed. Tbe use of tbe packer Is most essential es-sential on late spring plowing, when tbe purpose Is to plant at once after plowing It Is not necessary to use the subsurface packer on fait plowing which Is not Intended to be planted until the following spring, but for sowing sow-ing fall wheat. If the plowing precedes the sowing by a very short interval, the subsurface packer may used very advantageously. Tbe principle Involved In the use of the subsurface packer Is correct, and the lighter the soil and tbe greater IU tendency to remain loose tbe more tiecesnary becomes the use of the sub-urface sub-urface packer or similar Implement, In order to prepare a proper seed bed. In plowing under trash or manure, lubsurfaclng packing, by pulverizing he bottom of the furrow-slice, sifts :he soil through the coarse trash and auses a better union with the sub-ioII sub-ioII below, so that the capillary water ' v I ".$ " y l 7 J Prof. A. M. Ten Eyck. ay be drawn up Into tbe surface soli, bereas, If a heavy coat of atubble or anure plowed under In this way la ' ft without packing or pulverliing, te furrow slice la apt to dry out and ' ie crop that la planted on the land ay be Injured by a short Interval of . y weather. I!y setting the disks rather straight J id weighting tbe barrow, a disk bar- w may be used as a substitute for ( e subsurface packer, resulting In a ( ilverlzlng and firming effect at the ttom of the furrow-slice, may large- j accomplish the results reoulred in , eparlng a proper seed bed. It Is us- , illy advisable to weight or ride the , immon straight tooth harrow In or- r to cause It to stir and pulverize f e soil deeper and prevent tho "disk- g" effect which Is apt to -esult from f tht harrowing The cultivation necessary, after t irly plowing, to destroy weeds, In my r perlence has usually been sufficient r settle and pulverize tbe seed bed. r the early cultivation after a good j in and after C.e weeds bave start- r I, there Is no Implement auperkir to h e disk harrow; the double disk hlch gives two cultivations and a ives the ground level, being pre- t rred. For later cultivation the com- p on harrow or the Acme harrow b ould be used with the purpose of ii it loosening the ground too deeply r t previous to plsntlng or seeding. fi It If essential that sufficient and c oper cultivation be given to destroy tl eds. This Is more Important than maintain a soil mulch since weeds haust both the uAl moliture and the " ailable plant food If a proper soil jlch Is maintained, howeter, tbe I eds will be kept In subjection. In ' 4 s Ideal system of culture the pur- ' se Ii to keep a mellow soil mulch j , tbe surface of the land all the time. t only during the growing of the fc p, but also In the Interval between rveet and seeding time. Thus, aft- tbe corn Is planted the land Is cul- ated with the weeder or harrow In ler to break the surface crust and pver.t tbe loss of moisture, and foiling foi-ling out the same principle the bar- sing or work with the weeder Is j, itlnued after tbe grain or corn Is , and during tbe growing period. juent cultivation Is required for In-tllled In-tllled crops. Igaln. after the crop It harvested. cultivation Is continued; the land ( plowed at once or listed, or the eur- e cf the soil la looened with the a k harrow, and thus the land Is kept tl tinuallv In a condition to not only !ert the lots of water already yi re - oil, hot also this same yi |