Rensselaer Union, Volume 11, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 June 1879 — Over Plowing. [ARTICLE]

Over Plowing.

A correspondent of the Farm and, Fireside says: One great trouble with some farmers is the habit of over plowing. They break up a piece of land and plow it five or six years in succession, or until it will not produce over three-fourthu of an average crop. At the same time their meadow land deteriorates and is in the same condition. Yve have learned by observation and experience that it is not best to plow the same land more than three years in succession. Then it should be seeded. The first year there will be little or no Weeds in the grain; the second year weeds will be more plentiful; the third year the quantity will be much greater, and thus weeds increase every year till some fields produce as large a quantity of weeds as grain. The main point in order to eeouro good crops is plowing. Farmers should remember if they only half plow a piece of land it will produce but half a crop. Plowing should be commenced as early as possible and should never be done in a hurry. Take time and do the work well and see that * the weeds and grass are all plowed under. The seed should be carefully sown and the ground ‘well harrowed; then the farmer can but expect a good crop. The seed will sprout sooner if a roller is passed over the ground, which should be done immediately after sowing. This makes the ground more even and better adapted for cutting the crop with a-, reaper, I will givo a brief description of my method of plowing, seeding, etc.: i irst, we select a piece of ground that produces the least grasg. We h»ve it well plowed in the fall or spring and give it atop-dressing of stable manure, as not much benefit is derived the first year by manuring green sward before plowing. If plowed in the fall we do not top-dress it till spring. The second year we manure before plowing. The third year we sow it with barley and seed-down with grass and clover seed, and also giving it a top-dress of manure. We have always obtained the best results by seeding with barley. We do not think it advisable to sow the same crop ott the same ground several years in succession. We think fanners would realize greater profits if they would adopt the “ rotation system.” If farmers whose grass lands are degenerating would plow a few acres and seed a few each year according to the above plan, their land in a few years would be in a productive condition. Never seed inglyA man and his wife can never agree upon what constitutes a tidy-looking room. A woman will grow irritable when she find half a dozen cigar stumps sticking to the scorched mantel-piece, and he can’t be expected to keep calm when he finds a bunch of long “ combings” in his shaving-mUg.— Fuck. There is on? thing which seems unaccountable to the average city fisherman and that is. that an overgrown, awkward, saucy ■ boy with a bean pole lor a sis hing-rod and cotton. twine lor line, will catch more fish thnn he with his fancy jointed rod and fine silken line.— Rome (if. T.)" Sentinel.