Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1845-03-07
DEEP PLOUGLIING

Dr. G. b. Smith, of Maryland, in communica-
ton in the Albany Cultivator, upon the improve.
ment of worn-out land, saws:
VI know it is a common opinion that we must
not plough SO deep as to turn up the hard pam Of
Gay, white gravel, &c. | am very certain that
thIs is great error. If we had pillow that would
turn up the earth two foot deep, | do not care
what the subsoil may be, in five years the fertile
sou would be two feet deep. | admit that gener.
ally very stned crop would be produced for the
hrst two or three seasons; but | also assert that
the thrd or fourth year. and all subsequent seasons
VIII pay not only for the DEFICIENCIES of the two or
three, but an hundred fold interest. Wherever a
deep working pillow has been used, the drouohts of
dry season are not felt. The roots of nlan,s
pass deeply into the EARTH and are thus out of the
reach OF burning suns.
Inc subsoil pillow is good thing. Il enables
the farmer to avail himself of the ADVANTAGES of
deep ploughng without any sacrifice Of the first
and second seasons crops but then it does not turn
up tbls subsolI-it merely loosens it, enabling the
roots to pass deeply. The roots, however. get no
other advantage in this deep roofing, than that of
protection from drought; they get no nourishment
III those depths. The protection from drought.
however, Is an important consideration, and should
always be availed off,
0F7With respect to deep poughing, we would
observe, that it is not advisable. if i, were pract
cable, 10 turn up tic SOIL at once TO the depth Of
TWO leet lie pest process Is that recommended
by Mr.. Phinney-to grad;,atiy deepen the soil
and by this method there will be no loss by stinted
crops for two or three years, while the end in
view is as fully attained If the usual depth of
blowing has been six inches, increase it next time
10 eight or nine inchcs and next time two or
three inches more: thus the crude soil turned M
will be cooked or prepared for vegetable sustcn-
ance by the influences Of the atmosphere and the
manure applied. We hope many farmers. this
spring, who have been accustomed to pillow shallow.
will be induced to test the utility of deeper pow-
ing-which, as both philosophy and experience
unite to prove is not only iudcous measure but
one of the main conditions of the NEST successful
cultivation ofthe earth.
The assertion in the extract above, that the roots
of plants get no other advantage from subsoil
blowing than that Of protection from drought. we
think, is erronoous-at least, in many cases. Car
rols and Beets, on land that has been subsoiled.
frequently attain enormous size. Is this the result
merely of having greater depth for the roots to 20
and derive moisture? We think not-but that the
roots actually find nutriment in the subsoil as
well as room TO extend themselves This is Ger
tainly true with some subsoils, if not generally
A gentlemen recently told us that he spread
newly turned up subsoIl on a portion of his mead
ow, which to his surprise, gave the grass most
luXuriant appearance through the season. and the
yield was double where this was applied, to that on
the rest of the meadow--.N Z. Fa,msr.