Delaware gazette and peninsula advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1814-1820, 1818-09-12
.aGRECULTURE.


Y Hugh Pla,t, distinguished farmer of
Great Britain, speaks in tile following
Ian. as means to Increase and keep
up the leriiit, of the land s. hat il
you take certain quantity, Of even the
most barren earth you Can find, reduce
it TO fine powder, and expose it for
year 10 the viclssitades and changes of
season, and influence Of the Heavens, it
will acquire such generous and mascu-
line pre- nancy, within thai period. as to
be able to receive an exouc plant from
the fsrthesi indies and to taase all vege-
tables to prosper in ,he most exalted de-
gree, and to bear their fruit as kindly
with us, as they do in their naturai eli.
mates. By thus pulverising the earth 1t
is found that the soil may be So altered
from its former nature, as to render the
harsh and most unclvl clay, obst quics to
the husbandnan, and bring forth roots S
plants, which otherwise require the hiA h.
vszanIl no lowest mould iiut what proves
how beneficial plou J, hing is in strong
lands to facilitate the passas, e OF the water
of The RAYS of the sun, and of the roots pf
plants is, that their ierllllty is somewhat
increased by nlxlng them with sand in
stead Of duhg'"
"Sand itself affords no nourishm ent,
but by prey venting the particles from re
turning, il produces the desired effects
1t does not appear that ligh, grounds re
qulre so many plough'ngs 1t might
even bs feared, ieas by frequent turnlng>
of such lands aud ex : sing their parts
TO lie sun. they might be exhausted,
But though the sun robs the earth p
its moisture, yet few of the particles fit
for the aourishment If plants are ex
haust,t with it and experience shews,
thu light lands are better by brng plour H.
ed either because the breaking and
STIRRING Of their particles renders them
fitl.r to receive the moisture Of the rain
AMI dew to profit by Zoe influences of the
air, and be penetrated by tie rays Of the
sun or that the internal pores are better
fitted for the extension OF the roots or
again, because the frequent ploughing
destroys weeds, which are more apt to
grow in light grounds than in strong,
especially when they are dunged. To
prove by AN experiment what We have
Just advanced, with respect 10 light soils:
let one half Of field BIZ indifi renty
ploughed, and the other plnughed ex-
tremely we'll; some time alter and in
dry weathct, let the whole field be cross
ploug he'd. s'he land oftha half the Field
which was thoroughly pioughed, viii be
OF darker color than that OF the other
half, which was but slightly ploaghed.
This shews the benefit the land has re-
ceived by ploughing."
III further evidence of the advantages
of frequent plouhing and bringing
into what some call garden state.
Spurrer tells us that in the year
lT59 a Mr.. Dela cave Eve ploughinps
to wheat field, which had not been dung
ed and at harvest, bad taller and finer
grain there than any Of the neighbpring
grounds produced, which had ben dung
cd aud cultured in the usual way knew
farmer, who had not a sufficient guam.
tity of dung to cover more than half his
faiow, which be sewed with wheat, the
other half he intended for spring barley,
but was advised (rather than have he
ground uncroppsd) to live two extraor
binary ploughngs and sow that also with
wheat, which he did; andreaped better
crop # grain OIL the land not manured
In Short the advantages resulting from
thorough pulverising the lana is so great,
particularly when plants are growing,
hat in some places it has been known
inlly 20 repay the expences. even Of hoe
ing gram sown broad cast"
Allowing some differences for soil
climate and latitude, the doctrine i'll.
cu!cated by both these experienced
'arn.ars, must be considered as strong
sstimony Of the fertility Of The earth
sud he farmers may improve that fc
nudity 20 great extent without going
rom home in search Of much manures
i'he examples adduced by those agricuI
turalists, shew what may be accomplish
cd by proper culture the reasons why
there was found an increase in crops, are
aoohv'nus thal every one must perceive
iaeir force. The interpretations Of differ
eat lands with each other, in order L
ineiiorate the one, and to effect adhesion
10 the other, seems reasonable hi.