The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1853-03-16
Drought and Deep Tihsge-Worth
Considering Seriously.

Vunoioeth5 cef0usiy-
The depth TO which the roots al
whsst. corn. clover, &c, penetrate the
earth. under favorable circumstances.
is much greater tIian is generally sup,
posed. We have seen roots of wheat.
under ordinary cultivation. that we're
upward Of nine feet long; AMI h is sup
pssrtl that clover roots descend .ower
than wheat. though on what evidence we
know not. The value Of deepplowing
and thorough pulyerization of he soil.
is now beginning to be seen anslbeliev.
ed in.
There are some soils on whchdeep
plowing would, for the FIRST Few years
after the operation, prove injshous;
vet in the end. under the meligating
effect of the atmosphere. the advantage
Of such plowing and working would be
mast decided .Sub-soil plowins. .of
merely breaking and loosening the sdb-
soil without bringing il TO the surface ar'
mixing il vita the surface soil. cannq
prove injurious on any soil. though IL
may the FIRST and second year cause il
TO throw up must unusual quantity Of
weeds, instances OF which we have our
selves experienced.
We do not think it advisable or ne
cessary'to pillow deep for every crop
one good deep plowing once in four or
FIVE wears being all that is required
Especially is this true where manure
is applied pretty freely, and crops are
grown which require most manure du'
ring the early stages Of their growth.
tits rather difficult matter TO gel
some farmers to believe that in a YER,
dry summer, land that. is well under
drained and sub-soiled, 50 that all
water shall drain OFF quickly. is really
wetter, or iscapable uf supplying more
water TO the growing plants. than ;
similar soil undrained or shallow pillow
ed. 1t is nevertheless a tact; an,
more and more are-convinced oft eacl
year, as they see the good effects pro
duced. And as we believe that al
which is necessary to cause farmer I
change his mode Of culture, is to con
y.nce him that he is i'm error, and I
show him better way torhim to adopt
we think there can be no doubt tha
the next twenty years will witness
great change in our system OF agricul
ture, and under. draining and dee
lplowing will be the foundation Of tn
much needed Improvement.
/ We have been led to these remark
DIV reading an article in the Rural Ne'
Iorker, Of September g, from the pc
of Linus Cone. Esq, Of Troy, Oakian
County, Michigan, in which, after say
ing that the crops have been most Sc
riously injured by the drought thi
season. he gives the following most in
4 portant and interesting statement:
AS an instance to show what dee
cultivation will do in time Of sever
drought, will mention field of abo'
| six aud half acres, mostly high. DIR,
unduluting, clayey land, which h'
!, been III grain most of the time since
{ was cleared-oyer twenty years az
! Five years since it was manured wit
about thirty loads Of coarse barn var
, manure to the acre, and planted
\ corn for two seasons, then barley an
! oats one season, wheat next, and see'
$ ed with eight or ten bushels Of Glow
: chaff to the acre. For the barley az
wheat crops it was ub-soiled al
made mellow to the depth Of twen
: inches. This season it was in meado'
and heavier growth of grass ! nev
saw; three loads of hay we
u taken from it, and since it was cut I
\ pasture has been fresh and good. He
4 was probably over three tons Of b
H per acre, willie on the other land
lthis city, Of similar soil, but which b
been subjected to shallow tllllngs,
grass was light-in many cases hard
worth cutting.
81 might mention other instances
show the beneficial effect that de
?, cultivation has upon growing GRO
a = but it is mt necessary-it would J
probably do any good even if sucl
= statement should be made to ey'
farmer in our land. It's so much
sier to grumble about the weather Il
or it is to put in the plow. that nearly
- nreferthe former course"
The fall is the most convenient u
90 for sub-soil blowing and under-dra
er, ing. Geness5e Farme
.. We are glad to find the above art
seconding our often-repeated views