Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1845-10-02


10 dry seasons, the crop ives scofchsd
and scanty.
With view to render this field fruitful
10 any season, il was SUBSIDIZED with the
Deanston plough, eighteen inches deep,
and sown with wheat for crop 1871
The great vigor and luxurisnce OF the
crop attracted general notice; and il must
have yielded an extraordinary insrease,
If it had not been lodged by wind and
rain shortly after tho ear appeared
Therefore. II gave only thirty eight bush.
Ella OF gram per acre, bur three tons oil
straw, which poved its great strength
To this crop, one Of potatoes and two Of
wheat succeeded; BIT ii IS the culture Of
this field for crop ls4l, and the result.
which chiefly constitute this report.
Twas all equally dressed with seswsre;
and four acres Of the same quality and des-
~rip.ion were measured and stsked off,
Two Of these acres were ploughec twelve
inches deep with two horses. and two of
them eighteen inches deep, with four
horses. These two portions 10 all other
respects were planted with potatoes Of the
DON species in the last week of April,
eight inches deep, twelve inches asunder,
and in drills thirty inches WIDE, running
at rgh. angles to the burrows of the ex.
perimental plougaing. The potatoes we're
planted deeper than usual, therefore the
shoots were longer in coming through the
ground; but, when they did appear, il
was with great strength and regularity
They expanded their broad deep-green
leaves, and grew vigorously, in the dry,
candy soil, in very severe and long.
continued drought. II was coon evident
that the deepest ploughed portion had the
advantage; the stems and branches OF its
plants were stronger, and they first cover.
cd the ground.
The potatoes were lifted 10 the last week
OF October, when il was found that the
land ploughed twelve inches deep produ.
ced fifty. seven bolls per acre, aud the land
ploughed eighteen inches deep produced
aisty-nine bolls per acre, being differ.
ence Of twelve bolls per imperial acre, Of
four cw.. the to boil.
1t is a condition annexed to the prem.
UNI offered by the Highland anG Agricul.
tufal Society FOR experiments in deep
ploughing, that one-hall of the land used
',shal be cultivated in the ordinary way."
BY evidence before the Agricultural Com.
miltee in re36, the depth OF ploughing in
this country is from Sir to nine inches. If
that depth has been taken for the lowest
extreme in this experiment, the difference
= -. - . ha :.
believed, would have been greater; but
as this field had been ploughed tneloe IN
ches deep Tor years,its Ordinary depth was
adhered to, and the difference is certainly
sufficient to establish the advantage Of
deep ploughng.
As to the quality, it is excellent for the
season from both portions of the lard, and
in that respect there is no difference. The
potatoes from the deep lillage were larger,
more Of one size, had fewer small ones,
and not so many OF green color as those
from the other division.
The quantity on the deep tlage is
eighty.seyen bollsper Scots acre, which is
good crop for any year and j, will read
lily be granted tina, it is far above the av.
erage OF the district This year, many fields
not producing hall crop. A SUPERIOR.
~ so striking must, therefore, be ascribed
to deep culture, being on both portions
deeper than ordinary, which furnished
moisture IN very dry and schorching
season TO sandy soil, and raised its pro.
duce above that of tho richer lands. But
though this is great crop for the season,
j; must have been still greater If the field
had been less exposed, as it has no shell.
ter; and three days OF very violent wind
in the first week Of Angus, broke down
the plants, which, from their great luxu.
rance, were then very tender, aud check
ed their growth.
The practical conclusions to be drawn
from this experiment are
FIRST. That, deep poughing Increases
the produce.
!Nert, That, as both portions OF land
used in the experiment were opened up
eighteen inches deep by the subsol plough
for crop 1887, the full benefit oil that OPP
Grafton is not obtained ill the earth so
loosened is again ploughed up. And the
reason is evident for it IS then only that
thu soil is deepened, by an addition from
the subsol with which it is intermixed,
and rendered more fruitful.
Lastiy, If deep ploughing increases the
produce, il increases also the supply Of
vegetable manure; and greater portion
of manure, added to improved culture,
must produce progressive increase OF fer
iility and Of produce.
Thisexperiment was begun on the gebe
Of Dunbar for the amusement of the re-
porter, and before he knew that any pre-
MUM upon the subject was offered by the
Highland and Agricultural Society.
St...a.LI. A 4