Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1853-11-23
From the Working Farmer.
DEEP AND SUB-SOIL FLOWING. /.
BELL-Espo1R, Mobile Co., Ala,
June 81. 1853.

there has been but one rain and for over three no
a shower sufficient to lay the dust. You can judge
of the effects of such drought in section "lefC
SHINING the surface is the universal practlce'
know of many fields of corn from which dozen gooe
roasting cannot be found to the acre. AS an
the only one in my neighborhood VINO mas enJoyeo
roasting ears and water-meons this season, and my
case ILLUSTRATES the benefit of deep working VIII
dwell little on it. About the first OF March, pre-
pared a patch for melons, by spadng the ground q
good fourteen inches in depth. On ths panteu
corn in rows eight feet apart and from two to three
feet in the rows, and melons between the rows Inc
melons were the crop aimed at, and the corn was
planted as an accessory Tor shaoe 10 inc erons any
roasting ears. \ patch prepared Ill still ground
in like manner with the addition OF open dtches,
about the middle of the same month"; and planted
No other culture given than Keeping the surface
mellow and free of grass with the hoe. From ooth
these patches have enjoyed, and am still enjoying
both melons and roasting ears of fair size ana excel
! lent quality, although patch No. l received but
one rain, Gust after it was planted) ana NO.
has never been wet since the seeds were put III the
! ground. -.
To show the depth to which certain roots will de-
scend in dry season, will state that from neld
planted in becS, carrots and parsnIpS, about the SC
of January and which received rain since the Sd
or 4th day of March, pulled parsnlp the root OF
which measured three leet eight SIX lnches inc emu
breaking off at point where it was OF the size OF my
little finger Frequent specimens have aug meas
urng from two and half to three feet In spite OIL
the drought | have had fine beets also from the
same field though confess the crop has not turned
as it would have done with good season. Of the
three the carrots to have done the BEST though
both my beets and parsnips are quite as good as arc
generally seen in this section The ground IN Whlch
they were planted had been thoroughly worked 10
an unusual depth; in quality it is tine light loam
Having confined myself so far to facts permit me
to indulge little in theory. see with surprise tAat
Northern farmers object to sub-so plows on account
of their turning up the subsoi and that these are
now i7nDr0red so as merely to dsintergrate 1t With
out turning it up How is this? Is not spade cul-
ture admitted to be superior to any other ana snot
the trenching Of ground to great depth tne SOL
being completely rcversed) resorted to III garuc5 as
the very best means of improving them? mold that
the more perfectly the subso is brought to the sur
face the better and give the following as my [eSSonS
for that opinion: =,
Ist The sub-soil being merely divided at the
depth of fourteen more inches, and lett at that
tlepth will be but little affected by the atnos-
phere, and rain admitted. In course OF time IL VIII
again pack and its former condition. or very
near it If on the contrary, Ii be brought 10 the
surface it will receive benefit by all the amehoratVe
influences of the atmosphere, ram, solar neat &c.
Its texture will be changed and final 1t VIII become
slrlace-sol. But the top soil turned unGerSoes no
deterioration but by its porosy greater IMAM tha OF
the sub-scil; however we'll divided it will admit the
atmospheric influences even to the soil under II;
ID The above positions being correct it follows
that the land will be more easily sub-soIled again
when required, and also that less frequent use Vi
the sub-soil pow will be needed.
3D. The sub-soil, containing a greater portion OF
alumina (f of carbon and suiphates) is the best
calculated to retain the ammonia received from the
atmosphere in rain, &c. and the most efficient In pre-
venting the evaporation of the volatile hanureS aP
piled to the soil.
4th If the soil is of too light texture bringing
the sub-so to the surface will prove corrective IN
most cases If the soil be too stiff, by thorough
disntcgration and frequent exposure OF the different
strata the atmosphere, the too great tenaclty viii
be destroyed.
1St hC
ID That the su5-soil will form an inferior bed for
tho reception of seeds To this l answer that the !
more perfect disntegration, greater and more pera-
ncnt porOsty gained by the use OF plow throwing
I'D the soil will compensate for the greater draught
required. That il liberal and proper manrring be !
applied the ground after subsoiiing the sou VIII
be good enough for any seeds know OF used as Held
crops; likewise that the benefit accruing from the
more perfect disintcgraton and from the admlXtIre
of the surface and sub-soil, will more than conPch-
safe for any imagined inferiority In this respect
Finally, that this objected nerlorlty holds good AT
most for the first year, the advantages accrung be-
ing the contrary.
To conclude, hold that the making of single
crop being the end in view, it may be sulilcent to
divide the sub-sol but pcrmanet amelioratlon OIL the
soil being the end in view, the more completely the
sub-soi is mixed with the surface or brought up, the
better.
Ifmv remarks seem to you futile, behind the
agricultural science Of the age, beg leave to suggest
they are as good as you could reasonably expect from
section which is ignorant of sub-sol pio1's, and
votes agricultural papers bore.
With sincere respect,
j. j. DELCHAMPS.
THE above article may be read with profit by
Northern as well as by Southern farmers Our cor
is right as to deep surface blowing for
many soils, ami thus giving the portions of subsoils
aiscd the advantages consequent upon contact with
he atmosphere; but in cases it is better to
ooth surface and sub-sOi not clevating the subsoil
except by the gradual deepening OF the surface
blowing so as not to exchange the Carbonaceous
natter of the surface for the aumina he refers to,
more rapidly than it be supplied with carbon.
ic will find by experiment that carbon and alumna
will retain ammonia much better than aumina alone.
n soils, however, deep trcnching is advi-
tble, reversing the soil to depth of even three
,aluabe sub-sols. AS to deep disintegration secu-
ing crops from drought, it is no longer question
If doubt.
Mr. Dechamps will be Of more real service to the
armers of Alabama, by making his views known to
hem, than will all those who vote agricultural papers
borc.-ED. WORKING FARMER.
Frost THE CoTToN CROP It is now quite
certain, says the Nashville Banner that the Cotton
rop has sustained serious injury from the late frosts
We know from reliable information that such is the
'ase In this State. Our accounts from Middle and
est Tennessee all agree that in the fresh and in the
ch bottom lands the top crop of bolls have been so
bitten as efectuay to prevent their maturing. They
laVe IN fact to great extent, become sodden, and
ire rotting on the stalk The same is true in regard
o the plant in Georgia and South Carolina and we
nay add, in Mississippi, far as we have heard.
n the Memphis Appeal find letter. from YaZoo
jlty which states that the frost of the oath ult
nI hT oCll H1n1- IL