The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1850-01-30
FARMERS DEPARTMENT..
"The farmers crop their living from their crops.
And each man shares the blessing of their shares"
Flowing for Spring Crops.

All grounds not already prepared for spring
crops, that have become sufficiently dry, NAV
now be properly and deeply plowed, leaving
no balks, and laying the flrrow slices fiat. We
emphasize the word "deeply," implying that
deep cultivation is indispensable, if we wish to
develop the capability Of the soil; and that, un
der equal circumstances, that land (very loose,
sandy soils excepted0 which is sub b-soiled,
whether by plow, fork, or spade, will always
produce the largest crops, since it is we'll known
that the complete airing of the soil, from depth
of IL to 20 inches greatly facilitates those chem
lcal changes which have been proved to be
essentially requisite in promoting the healthy
growth of plants. The Agriculturist says,
the sub-soiling of hard or gravelly soils
should be commenced as early as the season
will permit, first by opening the furrow as deep
y as possible with four horse plow, drawn by
four or six horses, by which means the ground
will thoroughly be broken up, and shattered to
depth of ID or 20 inches. The operatian will
be slow, to be sure, as not more than three
fourths of an acre can be plowed in a day, and
the wear and tear of tackle and teams will be
great; but all this will be counterbalanced by the
saving of labor and increases of future crops,
and besides, every description of subsequent
culture will easily be effected more cheaply in
loose soil, than in one that is hard like a turn
pike road.
In narrowing newly plowed sod, it is better
to commence at the ''dead furrow,'' in the mid
die ofthe land, running lengthwise the furrow,
in RI Hi1arC from, los
ping the harrow at least one half. By this meth
cd, it will be found that, instead of tearing up
the sod, it will smooth down the furrow slice,
afford the team better surface to walk upon,
require less power, and in the end, more effect
ually perform the work.
application Of .Nanurcs, Soping, S.c.-In
order to keep your land in good condition, with
the exception of those newly cleared, and rich
"bottoms,' or ''intervals,' you must add as
much vegetable matter and chemical salts, in the
form of fertilizers, you carry off. If your
land yield you large crops you ought as literally
to furnish it with manure. Remember that you
cannot constantly take out of the land, and add
nothing, without impoverishing it; but you can
add enough to supply all you carry off, and yet,
in most cases, farm your land profitably.
In the application of manures, choice should
be made Of those only which contribute to the
nourishment and perfect growth of particular
kinds of plants you cultivate, having reference,
at the same time, to an immediate and a continued
effort on the crops in rotation. As general
rule, common barn-ya manure and guano, with
occasional amendments by green-sand or potash
mari, wood or vegetable ashes, soot saltpeter
and the refuse of powder mills, nitrate of soda,
siliacte of potash, common salt, ammoniacal
liquor from the gas works, blood, urine and the
otfal of animals, fish, brstlcs, hair, woollen rags
and the refuse of woollen factories, burnt horn
pitch bone dust, horn shaving, poudrette, lime
plaster of Paris, road scrapings and street man
ure, old martar, brick dust, burut clay, shell or
coral sand, seaweed, marsh or pond muck, weeds,
leaves and leafmod peat, charcoal dust, oil cake,
cotton seed, green clover, buckwheat, vines of
the COW pea, &c, will serve for almost every
cultivated plant. Among these substances,
plaster, charcoal dust, and potash mari, used in
connection with guano,-or, plaster, charcoal,
bone dust, oyster-shell lime, and coral sand, ap-
piled in connection with farm-yard dung, will
afford, perhaps, the most economical and best
guarantee for fair average return from rota-
ton of crops. .............