Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1853-03-24
Agricultural.
Polarization of the Soil.

Il Eay be doubted whether any branch Of
agriculture Is better deserving o( attention,
and ulare WORTHY uf care &c farmers. than
Improved ullase Tdlage may be distiu,
gslshed from the ORDINARY operations OF the
iArm In consisting 1t the preparation of the
su, Gs the creep and sabsequeu, cultivation
during the gTe~th of plants when applied
10 heed crops. Il Is thefeiTe the tounda-
i,ou IL all success IN farming. and worthy
It far greater care than Is usually bestowed
upon II.
10 the ordinary mode ofpreparing the soil
fnt craps very great .mperiectIon is eener.
ally observed The land is poor, plnwed,
the harrow applied IN the nos, superficial
manner, the seed scattered upon Il, aud The
roo,s left To work their way as hes, they may
among he Jumps aud clods in which the
land abnunds Ii Is clear to see that by
this method but very lmperfec, results are
oblaIned. as 1t is by the mus, minute dlvis.
Ion Of the PARTICLES that the ROOTS of plants
are enabled To draw from the soil the great.
est amount OF sustenance and support
With the surface Of the earth baked, dried
aud cracked proper degree of moisture
aud warmth is not secured for the proper
Development OF the grain and when I'M
partial ,lllage only is effected, the deficiency
IN oop will be IN proportion.
There are different modes of tilage prac.
,ised, but mos, of them very impartial in
Their results The system most nearly APP
preaching TO perfection is undoubtedly most
profitable, aud should he recommended to
the practical notice of farmers. 1t may be
doubted whether, If double the labor per
acre was expended in the reduction OF the
soil to fine nth, so as to be completely
pulverized, the farmer would not as gen.
era rule receive much greater returns for
the expenditure than in the ordinary mode.
1t is thus that our gardens, naturally no bet
ter soil than the balance Of the farm, are
made so productive.
We once knew a field of corn, which on
good fair soil, only produced an average
crop, on SOME ten or twelve acres, without
manure, Of eighty bushels per acre-a crop
50 much above the average as to lead to in.
| QulI iutO tnC CduoC vi YAH
yield The proprietor, very intelligent
and enlerprising man, gave the following
account of The mode Of cultivation he prac
tised
The ground was powed early in spring
to depth of eight inches, aud Instead OF
receiving single narrowing was worked
with harrow aud cul,iyator until, in the
language of the proprietor, it was as mellow
as an ash heap, and man in walking over
il would settle in to his ankles in the hne
earth Here was the whole secret of the great
crop, The land was, finely and thoroughly
puiperized, mellow tlllh was oblaue1, the
soil retained its moisture uniformly, the
roots found no obstruction to their move
ments in search Of food, .he nutritlve mat.
ter in the soil was so reduced and dlslrlbu-
ted as to be readily and easily taken in by
the mouth, of plants, the after culture was
easy and consequently thorough aud effec'
tive, and the crop, as a natural result, uuu.
sually large and profitable.
Now we think those OF our readers who
will investigate the sub ecl will agree with
the writer that in Thorough tiHage may be
found the antIdoc tor many OF the dlsap-
pointments and failures in the management
of our arabic lands
If farmers will cultivate less land, and do
it more thoroughly and perfectly, there can
be no doubt that greater crops will be ob
tanned, aad the profit on the labor bu com.
paralivey greater. 1t wo,.ld at all events
be consolation to witness such condition
Of the agriculture of our country as would
result from perfect tillage and thorough pull
verization.-N. Y Farmer.