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About The Alliance herald. (Alliance, Box Butte County, Neb.) 1902-1922 | View Entire Issue (April 21, 1910)
niviifffiMPWv?TW "rTaMcnfWi,r j ts "'jpiii''' wp.Trs $ iCSIH'iHiHJiimH!F- IW VWAM 4 '7 .1 . Y .?- Mt '; i jJtP ' BP;' Wri - i ". J": Krr i.t ii r fc FARMING IN WESTERN NEBRASKA That excellent agricultural weekly, The Nebraska Farmer, has been running a series of articles under the above caption. The article in this series appearing in the issue of the 6th instant will make particular interest tag reading for farmers and ranchmen in this part bf the state, and we are pleased to give it, together with the illustrations, as follows: PRINCIPLES Ol' TILLAGE In spite of much writing that in dicates otherwise, it is nevertheless a fact that indeed very few principles of tillage have been absolutely established iu the west. . - PLOWING , There is no doubt whatever that frequent plowing is not as imperative in the light, open, friable soils of the west as in the heavy, compact clayey soils of the cast. On the other hand we seem to have been plowing al together too little. Good, thorough, fairly deep plowing has beneficial effects on land which cannot be denied. The texture of the soil is improved, hence rainfall is better caught and principle obeyed on the one hand and ignored on the other has probably caused more unexpected successes and more puzzling failures in the west than all other principles of tilliage to which we can point. A compact seedbed is vital to the success of small, delicate seeds like alfalfa, brome grass and orchard grass. It is Equally vital to grains that must survive a winter, as winter wheat. It has a marked influence on the success of spting grains like millet, cane and small grain. Who has not noticed how quickly and surely grain conies up and how surely it survives the winter on the corners of a Field where the horses tramped tn plowing and iu the ruts which a wagon made iu passing through a field? Compactness of seed bed largely explains why wheat planted with a five-hoe drill between the corn rows so consistently lives. Lack of compactness likewise explains why the same wheat seeded on fall plowing so often fails to survive the winter. The farmer who "hogged in" his oats, his alfalfa, his anything with per haps a single slouchy discing and got splendid results, the same farmer who on the Batue field raised three good of the furrow. slice with the soil be neath. Briefly it may be said that soil water may move up by capillarity and roots penetrate down only insofar as the soil particles are in close contact with one another. In other words the soil for its entire depth must be an un broken mass or column free from layers of anything with very large pores or air spaces. If the furrow8llce rests closely upon the soil below, water cau move by capillarity from subsoil to surface soil, nnd roots may pass easily in the reverse direction. Since the larger and especially if a week or two intervenes bewteen rains the crop "fires" and if not relieved by an im mediate rain dies. Thus a lot of corn stalks or weeds, a heavy stubble of grass or grain, a hcavv coating of coarse manure, or even a lot of hard, strong clods turned under, has often , cut off and kilted a promising crop of , annua, grass or small grain. In this connection two rules may be laid down: First, never iu the semi arid country plow under at any ono time a lot of dry vegetable matter of mm fes JNr f 7 SRI T Wlfflw Hcndlne Light Crop Oats. held. Aeration is secured. The formation of plant foods, particularly of the all essential nitrates, is pro moted. The passage of plant roots through the soil is made easier. Other advantages are secured- Deep lying soil is brought up and exposed to the beneficial action of sun, frost and air. Vegetable matter is turned under to decay. In the east the plowing of soil a little too wet is extremely harmful. In the west it is only within twenty-four or forty-eight hours of the very heaviest rains that plowing is harmlul On the other hand, western soils seem to he frequently plowed too dry, es pecially jn the fall. Whether the plow ing in itself is very harmful is probab ly not known. There is abundant evidence, however, that mam a field plowed dry comes to serious grief the haVm at times extending over not onlv the one vear, but several. This damage seems particularly marked -if the plowing is done in the full apd if successive crons of wheat, two of which were not prepared for with so much as a single discing at least had a compact seedbed. His careful neighbor who thoroughly and deeply plowed his field, harrowed it twice, straightwav sowed'his alfalfa and got weeds, nothing more the same farmer who carefully plowed his dry ground every fall and with religious care seeded it to winter wheat only to see the plants one after another wither and die forgot just one thing a compact seedbed. There are several things which are strongly conducive to a compact seed bed: (i) -Plowing ground as long as possible before seeding it. This gives the rain and the soil's own weight a chance to compact it. (If one cannot leave plowed soil lie a while before seeding it it is best to plow rather shallow.) (2) Plowing soil only when it is moist- ,' Western Upland Pasture. subsoil is the great reservoir of soil water the importance of this inter communication is at once apparent. Let a layer of some substance full of large, coarse pores intervene between furrow-slice and subsoil and this close relation is interfered with if not practically broken off. Under the latter circumstances the crop will llvo and even thrive as long as the rains are frequent and the plants arc small and make no serious demand upon soil moisture. As the plants grow any kind; second, a moderate amount of dry vegetable matter may safely bo turned under, providing it is first thoroughly disced. The discing in corporates the vegetable matter with the soil and gives it no chance to form an unbroken nonconducting layer. Thus the mixed soil of the furrow-slice rests closely upon the soil below and what vegetable matter is among it does comparatively little harm. ERWIN HOPT 1 , H3W:JPMJr3fefcMBH8BgSKIlBfc-KMMM MBe nMMMBfiw'HmWjHfi8ttjB2v3HaHBBflHH BBslKaBBXBSKHfiv9SSSSSvlHttSBBttBHH JflHHHISSBBOTifRIIIHHralHfivBfifflK Ihf E. I. Gregg & Son's Big Premium Offer We will give a special premium of Ten Dollars ($10.00) to the winner of first premium on best loaf of bread at the Box Butte county fair this year, if the bread was made from flour bought of us. To the winner of second premium on loaf of bread we will give a special premium of Five Dollars ($5.00) on the same conditions. 1 Now Is the time to commence practicing with this flour. We handle both the Curtis High Patent and the American High Patent E.I,Gregg& Son Stacking Alfulfn it Western Valley. the ensuing winter and the following years are rather dry. THE COMPACT SEEDIIED If there is any one principle that has been proved beyond a doubt it is that a compact seedbed is very essential in all successful western farming. Plow ing or other deep stirring of the soil is important; the repacting of that soil is imperative. This principle is one which every high plains farmer might well wear in his hat might well frame and hang up over his dining room door, much as "office people nowadays keep hung upon the desk before them, "Do It Now," "Get Busy," and so on. "Get the seedbed compact." This (3) Harrowing every half day's plowing at least twice before one leaves the field. (One harrowing at this time may be worth a half dozen a week later,) (4) Using subsurface packer or a disc harrow weighed and with discs set nearly straight. (5) Frequent subsequent harrow ings. (6) Use of press or disc drill in seeding- CLOSi: CONTACT OP I'lJUKOW-SLICE WITH SOIL HKNKATH A third principle closely connected but not entirely identical with that of a compact seedbed is close contact 1. LACH ESPN Hardware Farm Wagons Buggies Everything in Harvesting Machinery Harness and Saddlery 319 Box Butte Ave. Phelan Opera House Block Flfci.ela.ra. Opexa, rEaZo-u. TUESDAY, APRIL 26 C. S. PRIMROSE PRESENTS CARL OLSON as "A PRINCE 0 H III IN FOUR ACTS With an AH Star Cast The one great Swedish Comedy Drama. A Beautiful Staged Production. A continuous laugh from start to finish. All Special Scenery. 5 Up-to-Date Specialties 5 Good Singing and Dancing The Best Swede Show on the Road Today. PRICES, 25c, 35c, 50c Seats on sale at Holsten's Plan Early for Your Summer Tour Pacific Coast. From June ist, low round trip excursion rates to the Pacific Coast, and on special dates April to July, still lower Coast Excursion rates. Yellowstone Park. All indications point to a larger num ber ol Park lourists during the summer ot 1910 man ever before. The tour rates are very low, and include attractive diverse routes? Homeseekers' Excursion Rates .first and third Tuesdays of each month to vour locality; advise vour eastern friends of land and industrial chances in your country. 10 me cast, ine usual summer excursion iares win oe announced later, for those planning a vacation tour of the East. Consult the nearest ticket agent of the Burlington. He is currently supplied with special rate sheets and" descriptive publications for all kinds of tours, or write the General Pas senger Agent, giving as definite an idea as possible of the trip you have in mind. It will be a pleasure to advise you fully. G. L. GRIGGS, AGENT . A I Ti a n c e L. W. VVAKELEY, G. IV A., Omaha HB s s s s s s s WHEN THE PRICE WOULD APPEAR ATTRACTIVE THE QUALITY,, PERHAPS, HAS BEEN SACRIFICED There is no-risk taken when you buy a CHICKKRING SON (Boston), IVERS & POND, PACKARD, KURTZMANN, STERLING, KOHLER & CAMPBELL, HARVARD, HUNTING TON, besides a number of less expensive Piands that may be seen on our floors and are regarded as leaders in their respective grades. YEARS FROM NOW you would regard the price of the Piano you purchased now as small if then you FOUND that vou had in your home a Piano that had proven satisfactory. Time alone will demonstrate the musical value of a good Piano and the honor of the house that sells Our aim has always been to sell the class of Pianos that would secure for us the confidence and esteem of the public. No Piano concern can produce a better asset than a satisfied community of buyers, and we are in Alliance to stay. Call and see us in our new quarters, Brennan's old drug store, opposite postoffice ZS"'W-'? S PIANOS SOLD ON EASY PAYMENTS IF DESIRED THE BENNETT W. C. ENGLISH, Mgr. Several G-ood Second-Handprgans from $10 up CO. 7 . . 5-i tmsm 7W J'ror- 'ftr-.B... .. . & h$fw j"rijy'
