Show contour plowing will cut erosion parallels parallels els terraces in long winding furrows corn must be drilled by ralph C hay flay agricultural engineering department university ol of illinois Illi noi service pride in straight r rows will cost farmers inestimable losses this winter in the form of soil erosion on sloping fields that have been plow plowed ed up and down the slope elope contour plowing and cultivating will stop most of this loss plowing and cultivating up and down the slope makes tor for straight rows of corn and other crops but it also speeds up the flow of runoff run off water and may start serious coupled with contour plowing and cultivation tu in a good soil erosion plan there must be terracing the application of limestone and the growing of legumes contour cultivation Is so called because it parallels th the e terraces in long winding furrows the corn must be drilled instead of planted in check rows but this Is quite advantageous advantage oua because more soil and soil moisture are conserved as a result of the runoff run off water being restarted ret arted by each corn row farmers who practice contour cultivation report that it increases crop yields and but little more time is required than by farming in straight rows working the curved rows which are longer than the field compensates tor for the th e cultivation of the few pointed rowa between the terraces drilling corn has proved satisfactory where tried in illinois particularly it I 1 a rotary hoe is used for the first cul ti atlon and less time lime and trouble are required than for checkrowed check rowed corn furthermore farm work done on rows running practically level requires less power to pull the machinery than where the implements must be drawn up and down the slopes farming in straight rows over terraces especially on steep slopes is also objectionable there may be trouble in getting gettin the machinery over the ridges and furthermore the ridges may be torn down so that considerable work has to be done to keep the terraces from breaking over during heavy rains |