Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1850-04-29
AGRICULTURAL.
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suB.so1L PLOUGElING.

G1f the sub-soil can be brought III contac
with the atmosphere, chemical changes taxi
,,lace which render it capable OF sustaining
plants, and sub-soil plough, while it admits th
atmosphere to percoate the sub-soll, does 81
without necessarily mixing the sub with .h'
surface soil. and that most sub-sols after tie
onent n]ouohings is rendered fully equal II
nualitv to the superintendent soil. Sometimes
surface soils are found 10 be too INN 10 contain
sufficient pabulum for plants, and therefore ina
,hey must be deepened; but that II th's be zone
by turning up Immediately co on, ppr-
fion Of the sub-soi the mass viii not have The
NECESSARY qualities desired and therefore it is
nreferable 10 prepare the sub-sol by admission
orf atmosphere before combining large quanti-
,;as of # with the surface soil that after one or
two wears thorough sub-soil plouehng, we may
then combine the two without lear OF lnJuIln2
onr CROPS. but on the contrary, we hnd them
improved by such treatment
Soils NAV not only be deepened, sweetened
and otherwise improved BY this Practice, but IN
seasons of excessive rains or drouehts, the crops
are more likely to succeed than II the ground
had not been srb-solled :,
Excess of rains may PASS down, while Ill Inc
dronoht the roots may go down TO lower point
10 find moisture, and thus the whole plant is sus-
to;ned During the drought Of 1348: we had a
fair onportunity of observing this fact. While
,,arts Of our crops on soils not sub-soled were
last parts hourished with exceeding vlgor
Less manure will produce equal results on
h.soil land The ammonia and carbonlc acid
pas of the atmosphere is received and retained
for the use Of plants in deeply dlsintegratea
soils whereas in shallow soils these gases, re,
received at night, with the dews, are parted
with again by the effects OF the morning sun.
During heavy rains shallow soils can rob the
water Of The ammonia it has brought down from
The atmosphere only in proportion to the quantl--
tv of surfaces of PARTICLES OF earth exposed, and
The excess rms off to rivers and streams With
The excess of water passing over lis surface
But in deepened and well disintegrated soils, all
these passes can be absorbed, and if the rains be
still in excess. they cannot carry Oft the ertlllz-
inp nroperties which were first received. Re-
collect also that no manure IS available lor the
use of plants, unless either III the form OF gas
or il, solution in qsatsr both OF which states are
more likely to transpire III suD-soll land tEan IN
land which is slightly ploughed
The roots of all plants are much longer than
is generally supposed. Long after they become
TOO minute at their ends to be visible to the
naked eve they continue to elongate, and as
thew receive their food principally at their ter
mini. or ends the land should be in condition
to admit and supply the food. The average
lsngth of the roots OF the corn-stalk is found
to Be from five to six feet OF the onion elgh-
teen inches, and other plants in proportion.
WHY do we disturb the surface OF the ground
between hills of corn or potatoes, and fad thai
we benefit our crops thereby! Does such
treatment increase the fertilizing materials we
have previously put in the ground, or does il
omen The surface for the admission of air 10
The roots1 IF the latter, must not the same facts
amply to the lower as well as the upper roots
Practically, we have settled these questions
TO our own satisfaction, as we'll as to that OF our
neiehbors. Many, who at first We're unbelleyers
in the use of the sub-soil plough, now admit iii
necessity, and none who have witnessed Its ope
ration pretend to continue their objections.
Our practice at present is to plough with oul
surface plough full seven inches deep, where
the surface soil will admit of it, and then to to
low in the famow with sub-soll plough, WHICH
cuts through without turning over 10 the depth Of
seven inches more below the bottom OF the fur
row. and this treatment has done more for onl
land than even the manure used upon It, we
shall finish those particulars in another article
on deep ploughing, and we do not Tear but thai
orr practical readers who ore not already con.
yerts 10 this system, will soon become so. How
often do we hear of meadows running out, anc
on examining the roots of the grass we find thai
they have reached the impermeable soil below
md then commenced their decay? Who evel
heard of meadow running out which had beef
previously fully SUBSIDIZED !'-Horking Farm.