Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1847-12-13
PioMgIlitsg.

Tn husbandry, too little attention Is paid 10
tloughing the soil properly. 10 secure a good
crop, IN. ground should be plonghed deeply
where it will admit Of II, and well pulverzed.
All obse Tviug farmers know that IN warm and
dry weather d compact soil becomes much dryer
than when well and deeply pulserlzed lhs
fact is readily accounted for. At all times, and
particularly in the hottest Of weather, there IS a
large quantity of moisture suspended IN the at
mosphcrc, which the earth absorbs in proportion
10 the surface exposed 10 atmospheric acton In
"a compact soil the surface only IS exposed, the
earth being too compact TO allow a Tree passage
Of air TO any considerable depth; whilst the soil,
If well pulverized, is so porous that an active
circulation is carried on to great Depth and ev-
cry particle presents surface TO ih, atmosphere.
The moisture suspended iii the air IN warm wea-
Their is estimated al Il Of the volume or bulk
Of the atmosphere, and 81 OF lis weight winch
affords a supply nearly adequate TO the wants Of
The plants, If the earth be in situation to receive
u. Where the earth is well and deeply pH!ven-
zed, the roots of plants run so deep INTO the
ground that tho sun attracts but little moisture
from the earth that surrounds them, whilst the
air, which holds large quantity OF moisture, IL
constantly depositing il in wei stirred SOIL ana
the roots Of plans rapidly absorb moisture both
from the surrounding soil and air. The growth
Of corn and of many other plants depends. in
great measure, on the depth Of soil and the
thoroughness of tislage. Where land is deeply
ploaghed and thoroughly pu'scrized corn suffers
much less from the drought than where the
plouphinp has been shallow ana the ground left
in large clods. From The above reasons, in wet
weather the plants lot 20 liable 10 i,e injured,
because the ground being more porous, it alb
serbs much more water, and the roots near the
surface will perform their functions, although.
.,o roois that have penetrated TO the compact
earth, where the water is retained do not.
The above suggests the great Importance of
ploughs that stir the earth deeply. Many Of the
plOughs used i'm The West only stir the surface,
and the roots of plants are kept from penetrating
ieeply, in consc que of the compact earth i'm
'ned''.sly below where the plough has penetra-
tod. Inc ~ecessity Of Il loose soil 10 produce
good crop renders ii important what kind OF
grass is cultivated, III the rotation Of crops that
all soils requires for. without constant nIanurinC
or Il rotation Of crops, all soils will detcrlora,r
In our own experience, VIC have no grass
that left the SOL loose and easily pulvcizea
red clover. Indeed, where there was no ad
'"'.'"'"", "'tc grasses closer sod "'.'
ploaghing generally rendered the ground as
loose and in good order for crop as sum
mer' following. Nay, better, for the large top
Of the clover cxc nding from the surface of
the upturned soil by their decay give free vent to
the to the bottom of the furrow, where the
decay of the old stems give /, passage amongst
the roots of the growing crop. BY thus means
constant moisture is kept up, aud good crop
eecu-cd.--Cin Com.