HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1985-03-20, Page 4210 Fan)) I tfition, Week of Mardi 20. 1985
Trash whippers on planter remove residue to clear area for planting...
frotn page 5
the plants, it keeps the soil cooler antl sludge
damage is more prevalent, says Trout.
If the trash whipper is used too deep, a
trench is created because too much top soil is
moved away and water, runs down the channel
even in level areas, Trout warns. This will
cause erosion and cooler, wetter soil which
makes it important to move the residue away
from the row.
Francis Hogan who had a ridge crop of corn
last year did, no plowing or disdng and finds
the far lesstillage and ridge planting to be an
effective soil erosion control. Hogan formed
the ridges the previous fall to a height of six
inches.
A special scraper on the planter clears and
levels the top of the ridge to free it of residue
Custom
Seed
Cleanmg
AND TREATING
(Burk or Bag) •
TAKING ORDERS FOR
Clover & Grass
Seeds
Seed Grain & Corn
Trucking
Pigs, Cattle, Grain
[OPPMB LICENCE]
Elliott's Seed Mill
and Trucking
Lucknow
528-3500 528-3110
GOT A SICK MOTOR?
FARM' FACTORY HOME
There's a lot of that going around lately!
If your electric motor is down with the "Bug"
gine us a call immediately while thr ailment
ran still be treated without major surgery.
NEIN MOTORS
AT COMPETITIVE PRICES
24 Hr. Emergency Service
C3ullitons
Quality And Service Al A Good Price For Over SO years
473 Douro St. Stratford 271.1951
and pernut the planting unit to stay on top of
the ridge. Chopped Dorn stalks lay in between
the rows where they are discarded by the
deflectors on the planter. If the stalks are not
chopped` the residue will remain on top of the
ridge keeping, the soil cooler and wetter than
desired for early gern'rination.and emergence.
A dean area to plant the seed into on top of
the ridge causes the soil to warm up fast in
the spring and germination occurs with
excellent emergence, according to Robert
1l -aut. Channels full of residue along side the
ridges slow the water flow, stop erosion and
residue soaks up villter, holding the moisture
for the 'planted soil.
Some interesting observations were made
by Flancis during the growing season,
particularly during an intense rain storm. He
observed the ridge planted trial remained for
the longest period of time without water
standing between the ridges. The residue was
able to soak up the rain fall and release it
slowly the following day. In the trial area,
which had been disoed twice, compaction led
to poor infiltration of water and more runoff
which caused more erosion.
Francis did not observe much difference
between the no -till and the ridges. Some of
the rows had been tramped more by the
Combine the previous fall, and at one point
during the summer, reduced growth in the
rows could be observed in the no -till. Overall
growth throughout each trial was even. Weed
control was excellent and insects and diseases
were not a problem
' laut says the fanners who are using these
two methods of conservation tillage have
found better natural drainage in either no -till
or ridge planting. The natural openings are
not disturbed and water can percolate down
through the soil. Moisture drains better and
the soil Bolds moisture longer.
No -till works with sandy soil, says Trout, .
reasonably well with loam and well with day
soils. It can create problems with wet day
however, Trout believes the small ridge to be
most effective. Most times a ridge obtained
by scuffling once is all that's required. Each
farmer has' to experiment to evolve a conser-
vation production package to suit the needs of
his soil.
Lawrence Hogan has built a berm structure
to prevent soil erosion on a water worse. The
turn to page 23
Farm Or Commercial
Buildings
KASE VA'ND-,,NH-UVEL
Construction Company Limited
R.R.2, Goderich Ken Janmaat, Seaforth
524-9176 527-1858 after six