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