Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1847-01-13

Ii waS believed that an express had
heen sentlo Gen. Patterson. cnunrermau :
dug his march in The direction oil Victoria.
Uses OF DEEPENING THE Soil.
1t seems TO be supposed. by many who
talk about the deepening the soil, that the
first purpose Of it is, 10 allow he roots al
plants to run deep; and ky some thai il
this is not the object there can be hardly
any other. This notion is neither confined
TO the advocates nor opponents of the
doctrine of deep Iillase. 1t is but litls
lime since several different men have
maintained, in our hearing. that it was OF
no use 10 plough or dig deep, because the
roots Of plants run near he surfacs Of rhe
earth. While we do moi subscribe to the
conclusion mere drawn. we suspect the fact
10 he as stated 10 far greater extent
than many suppose.
I'LL Of late, in giving directions for
planting nu asparagus roofs, the cultiva-
Tors have required the earth 10 be trench.
ed 10 The deplh Of two feet, and the plants
TO be sci with their roots perpendicular,
the lower cxtremi,ies Ct them being buried
d, least Is iuches below the surface; and
lest They should incline TO go too deep,
the bOtiOm ofthe trenches inuslEbe filled
with. brick or sloDe, forming a pavement
deep in the soil. Tie whole OF tllis prac
lice was funded Oil the idea that HE roofs
Of this plaut wcreever delving downwards
TO The centre Of lhe earth, aud The soil
5mGst be stirred aud enriched downthere,
! lhaLs ysIns not s6e ont aols ades:aosl
lheirjnnrney. - ~ -
Soof grape vines "a great bed ofboEes,
stones, brick bats, aud what not must be
formed; because the roots Of vines we're
always slraying downward as much as its
top was reaching upward. or late the
discovery has been made that The roots oi
grape vines do no, run deep, hui they are
creeping toward The surface, like those
amphibinus animals which lie SO near lt:
surface Of the water that the air can find
ready acces, 10 their lungs.
NorcouId We ever satisfy ourselves lha:
lhe2r0ots of asparagus nayc any such pre-
dIeclio. for The interior OF the globe az
some maintain. We always find them
near the surlice, especially when their bed
has heen deeply titled.
Ii rilcs. facts are so. is there any
''se iii tI!Ilng 50 deep, and may we not
cuntine our culture 10 IiIe surface b no
means. The necessity of deep lillase docs
not rest on hcso facts, DC they one or the
ot4cr.
Some OF lhe more general requisites of
soli are, Isl, Il lnL OF food for The plants
II susIains, consisting Of those mineral
constituents aud those organic matters
adapted 10 iced them. 2I, an evenness Of
temperature. Sd. such Il CONSTRUCTIVE as
can be easily permitted by moisture and
AIR. And 9Th, such mechanical density
as will allow the easy passage Of roots
through II, and al the same lime hold The
roots IN heir places and afford Them tIeir
nulrlnenI IN sufficient quantities.
The reason for the first OF these is read
i'y seen. The second is not SO quickly
coTprehended but The fact is, that a soil
which has no! been stirred for long lime
becumeS ready conductor OF heat. Hence
lis temperature is affected with every
change nl atmosphere, with This difference
that the cold below controls il much ca
sIer than the heal from abnve. Frequent
alterations OF heat and cold, such as are
common to the early part Of the season,
act very njuriousIy upon growing vegela.
tiOu. II the soil IS 8. constructed as TO
maintain an even temperature, il may, to
great extent, conlIeraci The effect of the
chnnSes of rhe atmosphere, but ii is alfec-
ted by all these changes it is obvious thai
vegetation must suffer in proportion 1t is
within The observation Of any one thai
suIl which is thoroughly AMI deeply TILED
is Tar better fitted 10 maintain an even !
temperature, thin one which is only mo.
we'd 10 a shallow depth. The third quail
iiy is obvious; q deeply titled soil is moisl
in dry lme. and comparatively dry in
wet ''ne. Tue fourth only requires il 10 !
be observed Mai TOO light soil is not ia
voraole /" line best growth OF vegetation.
Hence The use of rollers, and pressure ap.
pied III various ways 10 bring the earth |
INTO reasonable compact stale after pull
Nov. II Is reasonable TO suppose-nol
Dnly in accordance with facts-,hat with !
a deep rich culture, the roofs OF plants
S'll seek Ihe suriuce pt the earth, but that
hey wIlsooner seek il in such soil Than
n poor and shoal one. A soil of The
IFsI named quantities. dries far less al The !
surface Iilan The lalcr. Oh course roofs
lave less occasion TO uo dnwrwarl ,,r
moisture. The soil, TOO being mellow and
'as'ly peF'neoled' food of plants is carried