Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1853-11-11
Agricultural.
FALL PL0WING.

Having some twenty Odd acres we in
tend planting to corn next spriEg the
question comes un in a practical way,
What will the soil gain In the available
food OF plants by blowing IL this falIl--
On light sandy or gravelly soils we doubt
the ProPriety Of blowing several months
before the seed is committed to the earth,
because we tear that the elements Of
both organic and inorganic matter rem
dered soluble by tiilage, may be washed
out OF the open ground, and the land im-
poyerished rather than enriched by fall
blowing. We have no doubt Of the fact
that tillage often operates greatly to the
injury OF the soil, sometimes by dissoly.
ing the food of plants prematurely so
that part Is lost by the washing or the
Plowed earth, long be fore II is planted or
sown, and other times the fine clay and
sand run together and become hard be-
fore spring so that the labor OF fall plow-
ing 10 lost. These remarks arc, made to
show that there are two sides to the ques-
ton OF autumn blowing for seeding in
the spring. Soils which are either very
open, or very compact from an excess Of
fine clay, gain little by stirring them long
in advance of planting. Frost, howey.
er, may and often does, operate TO inn
prove clay land by rendering IL more
iriable, If plowed In the fall or winter
This is particularly true of clayey
loans, soils that do not run together iike
potter's clay. Clay soils which are not
benefited by fall blowing, nearly always
need understanding to increase their DO
rosity and friobility. By throwing the
ground into beds when piowed, and OPEN
ing deep water furrow between each
land, much may be done 10 prevent the
soil from becoming very hard in dry
weather, and mortar In wet weather.
Undoubtedly autumn tillage saves field
labor in the spring, when ONES teams
may not be in the best possible condi-
ton for service, while great deal Of
work Is suffering to be done. Had we
plenty of good teams and laborers, we
should rarely plow any field more than
four weeks before il was TO be sown or
planted. taf b. ti-9sf nelI b
SO soon as tillage develops the ele.
ments oil fertility, and ra ips fall to dis
solve them, our notion Is, that seed
should be in the ground 10 grow and con-
sumo the raw material OF the crop.-
We are well aware OF the recent re-
searches OF Prsl. WAY and others,
showing the retentive power of soils in
preventing the loss of manures applied
to land in state Of solution; we are
not, however, satisfied that the expecta-
tions in that matter are to be fully real
lied By farmers. Mr.. MEcHr says that
his liquid manure, after passing through
several feet of soil, still contains both or
ganic and inorganic matter; and we
know that In all good land, rain-water
that comes out in springs and wells 10
not pure, but abounds in both vegetable
and mineral salts dissolved out OF the
ground. Tillage increases the solubility
and solution OF these substances, which
are the food Of plants; and hence tillaee
at the time OF planting and afterwards
augments the feeding and growth Of
crops.
Having decided TO plow a field In the
TALL, we should not hesitate TO break a.,
the subsoiI little deeper than Il was ev-
or before exposed to the light, heat, frost,
and atmospheric gasses above ground.
These are powerful chemical agencies
) and admirably adapted To deepen and i'm .
prove soil. II one can turn under a
good coat Of grass, weeds, mold or ma
nure, 50 much the better for the land
Break tho ground fine--that Is, cut mar
row burrows, ne well as deep ones, that
the tillage may be perlect.--Genesee
: Farmer. .H rIl q.