Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1838-06-01
From the Cultiva,or.
THE NEW HUSBANDRY,
Ill. GOOD TILLAGE,

Ill. GOOD TILLAGE.
When thorough draining has been ef.
fected, upon lands 10 be benefited thereby,
there is another operation which is cacu.
lated to aid in the efficiency of manures,
and in the increase Of farm products.
This is good tllage-a perfect pulverza-
ton Of the soil, and the keeping it free
from weeds, which retard the growth OF
the crop. and rob it of its food. Good til
lage is important not only as it serves TO
exterminate weeds, to facilitate the diges-
ton of vegetable food, and to mix and
incorporate this food, with earthly elements,
but as it breaks and mellows the soil,
and enables the roots Of plants TO range
freely in search Of this food. Every farmer
must have observed, that where tllage has
been but impcrfectly performed, as is
sometimes seen about stumps and rocks,
| and near fences, the crop is comparatively
feeble and light. This is not owing TO the
poverty Of the soil, because the plough, as
it rises to the surface in these places. de-.
posites and accumula,es there the best and
finest mould of the field. The feebleness
of the grain arises from the imperfect til
| lage which those spots receive. The
old practice Of carrying the main burrows
to the extremity of the field, and Of dis
pensing with head lands, is bad and
sloveniy one, and ought 10 be every where
exploded. The cut and cover practice, is
still worse, as it leaves one. half, and some
times two-thirds, Of the soil, undisturbed
by the plough. We remember well, that
when we followed the plough in our boyish
days, and knew nothing Of the philosophy
of ploughing, our ain was, to 60 over
much ground, and show a plouged surface,
regarding the complete breaking up OF the
soil as Of minor importance. There will
always be great many boys at the plough
until the Importance Of good ploughng j:
better understood. Good ploughng con.
sists in breaking or turning every inch o
the soil and good tillage requires tina: the
harrow and roller should finish, if the
plough has failed to effect, complete pull
vcrization of tho soil. A green swa,t
becomes pulvcrulent as the roots of the
grasses decay, and is best without secont
furrow, because this turns again to thu
surface, to the wasting influence Of the sui
and winds, the vegetable matters bnrie,
by tho first ploughing. and which, if lei
buried, would contribute largely to tn
sustcnance Of the crop. As the roots O
the grasses decay, the soil becomes loos
and porous, and is permeabe TO moisture
air and heat. Hence the advantage c
, lallow crops over naked fallows, and G
,, depositing seeds upon tho top of Glove
lay the sod then imparts fertility to tn
soil, while it enables it to derive importar
advantages from the corporation OF exteI
nal agents.
Good tillage requires, that whero pras
ticabe, as in the culture OF drilled an
hoed crops, the surface soil should be kel
clean and pulverulent, while the crop
u growing, for tho same reason that the so
> is required to be made so before depostin
J. the seed, viz TO facilitate the decompos
o ton Of the vegetable food, TO stimulate II
Z. organs OF the plants, and increase II
J growth and product Of the crop The
y Is no better expedient for preventing u
evils Of drought upon q soil, than that
e keeping the surface mellow and clea
~ Atmospheric air and dew, both alwa
charged with the nutrilive food OF plant
- settles into such surface as into spong
n and imparts to the roots OF plants 90
Of aliment and stimuli. Dews fall upon ha
surface, and are evaporoted ny the III
I'd rays Of the morning sun; but they pen
Of trate loose surface, and molsten and nv
lify it. Hence the high repnlo OF the al
SO husbandry. which enables the cult'Va'or
! keep his crops clean, and the surface OF
tn soil mellow and open.
cd Good tilluge has reference 10 dep'A'