Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1853-06-11
Summer Tillage Of growing Crops.
ADVANTAGE OF FREQUENT srIanIsd or THE SO

ADVANTAGE OF FREQUENT STIRRING or THE SOIL
The benefits Of deep and thorough pulyer
isation of the soil before planting a crop, are
beginning to be well understood by most
farmers, but ouly few seem to have any
distinct idea Of the importance of keeping the
surface of the ground mellow by frequent
stirring between the growing lants, except
so far as may be necessary TO prevent the
growth Of weeGs-and even this we should
judge is not deemed of much consequence by
some who call themselves farmers We pro-
pose therefore 70 state in few words a few
Of the advantages Of frequent tillage, or main
tanning a mellow surface among growing
crops; and we hope that many of our readers
will speedily test by experience the truth of
our suggestions
l. as a preventative ofiVuy from drouM,
frequent stirring of the soil is OF great advan-
tage-and in our sunny climate, more or less
injury to crops is caused By drouth arlost eve
~ summer. A mellow surface allows the
rains to descend into the soil, instead of run
ming off into gullies and streams; it also pre-.
vents the rapid evaporation or return of mois-
ture from the soil into the atmosphere, and in
dry weather it absorbs a greater amount OF
moisture in the form Of dew, by allowing the
air which is loaded with moisture at night
to descend considerable depth into the
ground, and by presenting a vastly greater
amour. of pariicsls to its Influence than hard
surface can DO; and these particles becommiDg
quickly cool at night, condense yapor and
cause dew, while hard surface gives out
the warmth received during the day and thus
q. 4. 80
must have observed that more dew falls on
mellow surface than on a hard one, and the
soil beneath remains moist much longer dur
log severe drouth.
2. II enr;cAes the soil. and thereby increas
es the growth of the crop. This is done BY
allowing the rains 10 descend into the soil, al
above stated, and thereby the ammonia whlef
summer rains always contain, is absorbed ant
made available TO the roots OF plants, instead
Of being carried of into ponds and streams
The power Of elayey and loamy soils to Absorb
ammonia is one Of the most valuable dlscoy
cries which chemical science has made for ag
rienlture. We shall speak Of this more fully
at another time. (See also our article OF
draining, in last years volume of the OH
CsIfipasor, p. 369)
3. The nKtritirs slemsnt' an tie sOa ar
rendered more ayaiIabIe. by the admission Q
air, as well as moisture to the roots Of plants
Much of the food Of plants, like carbon, is el
ther absorbed by the roots in gaseous form
or is rendered soluble by the action Of case
by fermentation, in which atmospheric air
necessary agent; hence il is found that ma
nures are comparatively Of but little advan
taae in wet elayey soils where the air has no
free access, and il is measuably the same il
dry soils when the surface becomes bake'
and hard. =,
a. The destruction of weeds We SHOULD
mot deem il necessary to. speak oil this, on
wemot find some farmers still holding to th
mistaken notion that weeds are an adyantag
"a shading the ground in time Of droush' lie
such men consider that every weed acts as
saefsoa pump, drawing moisture irom beneas
the surface. and sending il of by eyaPoratlo
into tho air, aud also absorbing nulr'men' iroI