Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1845-12-04
Cues. end. What was the character of the

the ridges had a considerable quantity of small
white Hint rocks on the surface, and also embed
ded in the clay to the depth Of several inches.
Cues. 3rd. What is the comparative cost of
common and sub soil ploughing?
Ans. My common or first ploughDg was done
with three-horse Mccormick pIow the sub
soil plouehing, with the coulter as above describ-
ed, drawn by two horses, each of course plough
ing the same quantity of land per day; which
quantity would average, l suppose, rather more
than AN acre per day during the latter par, OF the
fall and winter months. Thus it would appear
that the difference in cost would be the use and |
keep Of one horse less for the subsoil plough than
Tor the other My estimate is that the additional
cost, would not exceed one dollar per acre, but |
even admitting that it would be somewhat more,
am confident have been fully remunerated by
the result in the first CROP and do not expect the
benefits TO stop there.
Cues. 9TH. What increase of yield do you think
fairly attributable to your subsoilng
Ans. L think may venture to say, without
being liable TO the charge of eXaggeration, that
the increased produce OF the crop of corn, the
present season, was not less than one-fourth or
% per cent. will here remark that the Improve
ment In the crop appeared to be more visible on
the high and strong portions of the field than on
the other parts, although it was,very evident that
every part was greatly benefited. The drought
continued until about the LIST of Aug, yet my fod-
ID. III
pared with other fields of highland corn in the
ipeghborhood :. 7
I Dues. 9th. Is your land rolling, and if so, had
your sub-soiling any effect on the washing of the
land
| Ans. The field cultivated in corn the present
season, may be fairly termed rolling, "a small par,
| OF 1t, rather steep. 1t may be proper to remark
that there was but one heavy shower of rain on
the field, after planting, before the Sth of Aug.
This shower which occurred on the 9th of June,
and was very heavy one, fell just after the land
had been fresh ploughed, and when the surface
ground was very dry and even dusty. On the
steepest parts OF the field, there were some small
gulles made, but believe, if the ground had
not been very dry and light from recent pIouub
ing, that the washing would have been very in
considerable. am induced to form this opinion
iron the Tact, that in the year 1914 we had fire..
quently heavy rains, and the part of the field
which was then in corn. and had been sub-soiled.
although rolling land, did not wash perceptibly.
Cues. 9th. How deep did you plough your
land with your ordinary plough, and how deep
with your sub-soi plough
! Ans. Without pretending 10 be strictly accu
rate as to the depth (having made no actual mea
suremenD suppose the average depth of the first
turrow, made by the M'Cormick plough, was not
less than SIX inches, in many places more, in few
less with respect 10 The sub-soing, believe
the coulter penetrates the sub-soil from to 9 in
ches deep, and in some places more thus CIV
ing depth of filth, averaging say from ID to Is
inches. If practicable, would prefer going Is
inches deep.
Having thus given answers to your questions,
not in so perfect and satisfactory a manner as
: could have wished, will subion few addition
al remarks. have long been convert lat least
In theory TO the utility Of sub-soil plouphing.
and The beneficial effects which would result
from putting the system into general practice.
| IN Irrm iata A
follow in the increased product of the crop thus
cultivated, but the permanent Improvement and
preservation OF the land. Reason certainly wouId
justify such belief. My first experiment was
commenced in the fall of 1913, on a part of a
field intended TO be put in corn the ensuing
spring. succeeded in getting about 80 acres
sub-soiled, and was so much pleased with the
result, that determined to make an effort to sub
SOIL plough large portion of the field intended
Tor corn the present year. | succeeded in get
ting about ITO acres thus ploughed, and am now,
so fully confirmed in my belief with respect to
the advantages to be derived from the system,
that intend 10 practice it for the remainder of
my life at all events, in my corn land, which
cultivate every sixth year. | intend making
an experiment next spring on some of nv tobac,
co land, by sub-soIl ploughing where the clay is
very still and of deep red color;- the original
quality OF the land, good. This mode of cult
walton is admirably adapted to all kinds of sea-
sons, let them be excessively wet or dry. Twill
mention another advantage attending the practice
OF sub-soll pougbing, which have seen in the
few experiments already made ON nv farm, viz:
that OF clearing the land of briars and even sas-
sairas bushes III great measure. The wings
/ attached to the coulter, cut the roots of these
pests, and then being dragged up by the bar of
the coulter, in freeing the coulter from them, thew
are thrown upon the surface, and thus exposed 10
the frost, they perish. do not mean to saw that
one process OF PloughIng, or even two, will en-
llrely eradicate either brars or sassafras bushes,
but observation has taught me that they will! be
greatly diminished.
With respect TO the best kind Of implement to
be used In sub-soiling our lands, am inclined to
believe that the coulter fixed with wings as be-
fore described, will be found preferable TO any
sub-soil plough, having share or mould.board
attached TO 1t. 1t appears TO me evident that the
coulter will break the land TO a greater depth
with the application of the same force of draft,
and think 1t will be found to leave the sub-soi
sufficiently broken for all practical purposes"
After the reading of the foregoing papers, sew
eral members of the class made statements of
facts connected with the subject of sub-soil Gull
tivation.
DR.. Robt II. Barton, mentioned the case Of y
field in the neighborhood of Fancy Hill, which
was few years ago ploughed very deep, but
pioughec In the ordinary way, reversing the rel
alive position of the soil and sub-soil. The re-
suit was, that the first season, the crop was ruin
ed. Aiterward, however, when the subsoil thus
turned up had been exposed to the action of the
atmosphere Tor two or three years, the fertility of
the field was greater than before il underwent
this oloughing. He added, that his practice was
to iurIow oat his corn ground with two.horse
plough and afterward, TO run coulter in the fur
row thus opened breaking the ground TO as great
depth as possible. The effect of this has been
uniformly good
Mr.. VIM. a. Read of Hartsbottom, stated
at hnI l. LII l. 4