[Illustration:  FIG. 54.—­A ROLLING COULTER HARROW.]

[Illustration:  FIG. 55.—­SPRING-TOOTHED HARROWS.]

In many parts of the South the farmers use very small plows and small animals to draw them.  The result is that the soil is not prepared to a sufficient depth to allow of the large root development necessary for large crops.  These farmers need larger tools and heavier animals if they expect to make much improvement in the yield of their crops.  These small plows and this shallow plowing have done much to aid the washing and gulleying of the hill farms by rain.  The shallow layer of loose soil takes in the rain readily, but as the harder soil beneath does not take the water as readily, the shallow plowed soil soon fills, then becomes mud, and the whole mass goes down the slope.  The land would wash less if it had not been plowed at all, and least of all if it were plowed deep, for then there would be a deep reservoir of loose soil which would be able to hold a large amount of water until the harder lower soil could take care of it.

BREAKING OUT THE MIDDLES

Some farmers have a way when getting the land ready for a crop, of plowing the rows first and then “breaking out the middles” or spaces between after the crop is planted.  This is a poor practice, as it interferes with thorough preparation of the soil.  The ground can be more thoroughly plowed and broken up before the crop is planted than afterwards.  This practice of leaving the middles interferes with proper harrowing and after-cultivation.

THROWING THE LAND UP IN RIDGES

Many farmers throw the land up into ridges with the plow and then plant on the ridge.  When land is thrown into ridges a greater amount of surface is exposed to the air and a greater loss of moisture by evaporation takes place, therefore ridge culture is more wasteful of soil water than level culture.  For this reason dry soils everywhere and most soils in dry climates should, wherever practicable, be left flat.  On stiff, heavy soils which are slow to dry out, and on low bottom lands it may be desirable to ridge the land to get the soil dried out and warmed quicker in the spring.  Late fall and early planter truck crops are often planted on the southern slopes of low ridges thrown up with the plow for warmth and protection from cold winds.

TIME TO PLOW

The time of plowing will depend somewhat on the nature of the soil, climate and the crop.

More plowing is done in the spring just before planting spring and summer crops than at any other time, excepting in localities that plant large areas of winter grain and truck.  This spring plowing should be done early, for the spring plowing tends to dry the loosened soil somewhat and allows it to become warm at an earlier date, and at the same time the loosened soil tends to hold water in the lower soil for future use by the crop and allows the soil to take in spring rains more readily.  If a cover crop or green manure crop is to be turned under in the spring it should be done early so as to prevent the crop to be turned under from pumping too much water out of the soil and thus interfering with the growth of the crop for which the land is being prepared.