Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1850-03-18
From the American Farmer,
ADVANTAGES OF SUBSOIL PLOucH-
ING.

We find the following, upon this subject al
ready prepared to our hands, by our esteemed
friend, DR.. Holmes, of the Maine Farmer. and
commend it to our readers with more pleasure as
1t has his endorsement:
"Our object is to present our readers with all
The light we can collect from the various pubca-
tions that come to hand, respecting this process
1t is new subject to the farmers of Name and
as it is attended with considerable expense, we
would be cautious in urging it upon orr friends,
without good evidence Of its utility. In the last
number Of the Working Farmer, we find some
statements in regard to sub soiling, from which
we extract the following. James Canadian.
President Of Princeton College, States the result
of an "unintentionaP' experiment he made In l848
In sub-soiling.
wished, says he, to sub soil lot in soil with
a hard pan, and as had only one team, hired
another to turn over the sod preceding the sub
soil plow. lie came and worked one day, but
did not return the next. As the time for planting
was approaching, l directed my farmer to go on
and pillow in the common way as deep as he could.
lie did SO. The following day the other plough
man returned, worked day (sub soiling) and
then was absent.
The result was the lot was ploughed alternately
with the common plow and the sub soil. The
whole lot worked and MANFRED in the same way,
except the sub soiing Of some parts and some not.
sub-soiled suffered very little; that on the part
not sub-soiled suffered very much.
When the corn was gathered, we could dis
tinguish the very row where the sub soing was
commenced and ended-the ears accrc more mn .
nerous and efa larger size.
did not measure the corn nor the ground, but
the difference was obvious to the sight. that no
one could doubt the superiority Of the corn on the
ground sub-soiled.
: Tins year The whole Of my ground was sub
month of July was dry and hot, and the leaves of
my corn did not shrivel, while those in the ada
cent fields rolled up.
1he next instance OF improvement by sub soil
Ing is one also connected with draining, Perhaps
some of our readers may recollect that we gave
IN the Farmer an instance Of improvement Of
neld by draining, made by MIR. Goodwin, of Rome
an TINS State. MIR Goodwin estimated the profit
10 him as equal to rs per cent. on the cost.
Ahe present instance we also find in the Work
ing Farmer, communicated by Mr.. B. Webb. of
wilmington, in Delaware.
According TO his statement, he drained. last
spring, about four acres OF hard clay bottom. He
then we'll MANFRED it, and sub-soilod mart of !,
and planted it in corn. ~
An acre that was drained, surface plowed and
sub-soiled, produced sc l-2 bushels Of ears If
sound corn. An acre that was drained, but work.
ed In the usual way, produced 80 bushels. An
acre adjoining the drained part, of about the same
quality Of land, but not so fiat, and Of course be-,
ter calculated to raise crop, produced, with the
same manure and tillage. Al 1-2 bushels.
The drains were made 80 feet apart, as he in
tended to double their numbers. It appears thai
when the draining ia finished, it will cost $40
Per acre. W.
Ms. Webb further states that his land was con.
s;uStse ~ one ., ms neighbors as cold, dishy
Of; and even If it would, the soil was 90 moor tha,
nothing could grow upon it, but swamp grass 80