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Agricultural and Pastoral.
THE USES OF HARROW.
PULVERIZATION.-Growing crops are
pricipally benefited by such a state of
perfect pulverization that their young
roots push easily into every part of the
soil, drawing from it life and vigor.
Hard, lumpy ground is almost valueless
for plants, as a lump has no more fertility,
while a lump, than a stone. Conse-
quently, land before seeding should have
all lumps dissolved by repeated harrow-
ing and the soil brought to a fine state
of pulverization.
Compactness of Soil.-After the soil is
properly pulverized it needs a certain de-
gree of compactness. This is frequently
done by the roller, but properly harrow-
ing does it better for the compactness is
commenced at the lowest point reached
by the teeth of the harrow, and is uni-
form to the top, while the roller forms a
crust at the top which is frequently very
objectionable.
Cultivation of Growing Crops.-We
believe this fact to be admitted, that all
growing crops are immensely benefited
by repeated and thorough cultivation.
Corn and potatoes have usually received
a fair show of cultivation between the
rows, but wheat, oats, barley, &c, have
always been neglected, because there
seemed to be no way they could be culti-
vated without injury; but the experience
of the last few years has shown the great
value of thorough and repeated harrow-
ing. In this practice many prefer a har-
row with the teeth slanting backwards,
as in the Thomas harrow, contending
that they do not tear up the young plants,
but rather press them into the ground,
while the soil is at the same time thor-
oughly pulverized.
Suppose corn could be planted in the
fall, and not germinate until spring, and
not cultivated during the summer, the
crop would be reduced in quantity and
quality almost to the point of failure.
This is what is done with winter wheat.
The crop is nearly, as much benefited by
thorough cultivation with the harrow in
the spring as corn is. An extensive
farmer related to us, this morning, his
experience last season with winter wheat.
He had fifty acres which, like all his
neighbors', looked exceedingly poor last
spring. He thoroughly harrowed his
wheat field, breaking the crust and
thoroughly pulverizing the ground to the
depth of several inches. The wheat
started into vigorous growth at once and
grew rapidly through the season. He
harvested from the fifty acres 1600
bushels; while his neighbor's crop did
not average over ten bushels per acre
on equally as good land; the plants
seemed weak and dwindling from the
start and did not push into vigorous
growth. Very many such instances have
come under my observation.
Cultivation of Corn.-While the mid-
dle of the rows are generally pretty well
cultivated, in and near the hill it is al-
most universally neglected, and a stiff
crust is apt to form around the young
plants, and myriads of weeds spring up
and almost choke out the corn plant be-
fore it has obtained strength to overcome
them. If the corn is planted about two
inches deep, it may be safely and rapidly
harrowed both before the plants show
themselves above the ground and after-
wards, until the corn is one foot high.
The stimulation to the young plants is
very remarkable. They grow the first
few weeks more than twice as rapidly as
when left neglected, and the increase of
the crop is very decided, for, after the
last harrowing, no weeds make their ap-
pearance, and the cornfield continues per-
fectly clean during the entire season, As
a boy passes over 15 acres or so per day,
he can easily keep 100 acres in the most
perfect condition until two-thirds of the
work or more isdone. Many large corn
raisers do not cultivate at all after finish-
ing with the harrow.
The same remarks in regard to potato
cultivation apply as to corn. In all their
early stages of growth their cultivation
may be done with the harrow with great
economy and marked increase of the
crop.
A harrow which never clogs in sticky
grounds, or with roots of grasses, or
weeds, or corn stubbles, if such an one
can be found, is a great luxury ; one that
most farmers' boys do not often enjoy.
The effectiveness of clean teeth can
hardly be over estimated ; with masses
of weeds and roots in front of the teeth,
its usefulness is well nigh lost In ad-
dition, its ease of draft will be remark-
ably increased.-Prairie Farmer.
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