Listing Versus Plowing

Experience and observatiou in corrheastern Nebraska learl a correspondent of Fnrm, Field and Fireside to the follovvfag statements: Where we have a light sandy and a heavy clay soil right ín the same neigbborhood and often upon the same farm I believe that it pays best to list the light land, while for the heavy land I would say plow the gronnd good and plant with a check row planter, and as soon as plantod barrow good to kill any weeds that may have started since plowing, and then harrow once or twice more before the oorn is large enough to cnltivate. This harrowing serves a doublé purpose, that of retaining the rooisture near the surface, which insnres a more perfect germination of the seed, and that of preventing the land from baking, which so of ten occurs upon clay land. I also keep the weeds in check nntil the corn is large enongh to allow a good job of cultivating being done the first time over the field. Being able to cultívate the field both ways, it is not a very difficnlt matter to keep a field of corn reasonably clear of weeds, and upon such laud the increased yield over listing will be enough to well repay one for all the extra labor it requires. It also leaves the land in a much better condition ior the nest year's erop. For ligbfc land listing seems to have the advantage. It saves a considerable amount of labor, thereby enabling one to handle a much larger area of corn than when the laúd has to be plowed before it is planted. And the disadvantages of listing are not as objectionable upon sandy land as upon olay. As sandy land will not wash as easily as clay, it is not as Hable to be damaged by heavy rains, and there are no clods to roll in upou the corn to damage it. Some persons advocate listing stubble land in the fall and then splitting the ridges with the lister when ready to plant. This gives a more thorough stirring of the soil and gives better results, especially wbeie heavy land is listed. I do not believe that continual listing year after year upou heavy land will prove as profitableasplowing. I believe that such land uaeds a good, deep and tborough plowiug at least once every two years, and as I believe in rotation of crops I think it is best to sow the land to sorue small grain erop each year that it is not plowed; henee I have not much use for the lister upon clay land.