New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-05-07

roots inches long, and many Of these viii de-
scend 10 their full length If the soil has been suff
ciently disntegrated. The roots Of most PLANS
descend generally an average Of twothird' their
length. q portion only maintaining the horizontal
position.
SOL has the power t. absorb aad retain many II
the gases found ia the atmosphere until required
By the growing plant, aud this retention is Us; IN
proportion 70 the quantity Of surfaces Of particles
exposed and, therefore sn npowed surface can
not avail Of this action, nor can shallow plowed
land receive as much benefit from th.s cause as
that more deeply disiuteyrated. The rationale Of
this action vii explain IN a future letter.
Compact soils vii. not permit the water result
lng from rains u euter them, and shallow pl0wed
land Will hold a large quantity oi water near its
surface when from Deeper disiutegratioo. it sht
pass downward TO a suo-soil capable Of Freely re-
ceiving il. Heavy .odgmen. Of water about the
roots ofmosi plants detrimental - their gro~t1,
while large quantities passing over their surfaces
without being received Will carry a tie more
soluble portions Of the manure.
Growing plants not only receive bu. throw out
matter from their roots FOR they reject certain por-
tons which are termed excrcment.,ious these,
liz we.. disnte grated soils are got m o. but when
shallow plowed they remain on the imperUous
soil, and from their proximity to the roots injore
the plants.
All soils are improved by continual contact with
the atmosphere and many constituents Of the soil
are useless to plants until they have been thus
operated upon the particles Of soil have also the
pow er b. absorb the resultant gases Of the decom-
posing mangrcs but only alter dsinteerai'on' and
| as these gases II not absorbed wall be carried of
by currents of wind, it becomes necessary 10 eco
nomicsl culture TO prepare as much soil Tor their
reception as may be required, and this quantity IS
found u be greater than can By possibility be
rendered pulyerulent by surface blowing, even
when performed to the fall depth Of ordinary sur
face soil ] have proved this fact fully ior such
parts of my farm as were thoroughly plowed TO the
full depth Of the loan, say seventeen inches did
not give as good crops rs other parts where the
sub-soi bad been disturbed y stil greater depth
by the sub-soil pillow run IL the bottom OF the fur
row left BY the surface plow.
The advantages Of sub soil blowing shall TT
serve for my next letter but to return to those 81
deep suriace-p blowing.
No farmer can doubt that deep soil can yield
better crops than shallow one. Let US suppose
then, e soil 70 be inches deep AID underlaid b.
clay, and that the farmer should plow to the depth
Of - inches, aud thus bring up half al zach OF csy
to be acted upon by the atmosphere and rendered
into good SOL that the clay viii undergo tins
change even "a u single year. cannot doubt II
its proportion be no greater than stated above.
Let TIN. practice be continued four years, aud the
soil Will then be 10 inches deep aad when at that
depth an inch instead of hal an inch Of clay may
be added each year without bis discovering that
his land is any more clogey than before he com
mencod the deepening but us power 10 pro-
duce plants will be materially increased. II the
plowin, be done IN the + ALL aud So performed by
back Throwing as 70 r.d.e The land two inches OF
clay instead Of one may be safely thrown out on
the surface OF these ridges. aud the frequent
fceezines aud thawngs Of Winter will render it
perfectly pnlverucnt by Spring aud charge It with
the necessary constituents Of ammonia aud car
bonic acid from snow water to enable the clay 30
changed to form n valuable add ton To- the mass.
The farmer should bear in mind that the ultimate
constituents Of plants are never destroyed for
when plant Is consumed decays, or is even
burned. It's ultimate particles are thrown sgain on
the lace Of Nature for reappropraton. The con
.umed crops of lsis will supply the raw material
for the manufacture OF those Of 1850, AM he should
have his soil in condition to receive hs share OF
Natures blunties.
l remain Sir you're respectfully JAS. J.. MAPEs.