Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1854-09-14
How the Effect Of the Drought
might have been Prevented,

I - u. /.
the author of one of the be- st works
on farming that has been published
in this country, the gratifying results
of the labors of a farmer, whose sci.
ence has enabled him to draw from
the earth abundant crops, in the midst
of the general drought. Mr.. Warine
says:
The points on which the farmer
needs, and may easily obtain, instruo-
ton are very numerous, and we pro-
pose only TO notice the point in d ues-
ton. 1t is not too bold an assertion
to say that no good, practical farmer
wiU allOw his crops to suffer largely
from drought The remedy is simple
and natural. Subsoil ploughing, ac-
companied by understanding on wet
lands, and even without it on those
which ares sufficiently dry, is a sure
protection against this famine produ-
cling scourge.
A few moments reflection will con-
vince any man that this must prove
an infallible remedy, because we know
that there is always the same amount
of water in and about the surface of
the earth. In winter there is more
in the soil than in the summer, while
in summer that which has been dried
out of the soil exists in the atmos-
phere, being maintained in vapory
condition by the heat resident among
its particles. Without this heat, ii
must Immediately contract and be-
come liquid water; and for this reason
cold pitcher robsI heat from the va
por of a summer atmosphere, aud
causes it to be deposited 10 a liquid
form. The cold earth, at night, is
thus supplied with dew.
On the same principle subscribing
prevents drouth. 1t opens the sub
soil for a circulation Of air. This
subsoil, from its shaded position, is
always cool, and hence il takes heat
from the moisture Of the air permea-
ting it. II acts the part of the cold
pitcher. This is the 81 nipple, natural
reason for the whole action, and any,
farmer in the world may unders land
it. But this may be called book
farming, so | will give an example of
its practical character.
! yesterday visited the farm Of
Prof Mapes. The whole country |
about Newark wearsa peculiarly bbrnt |
up appearance. and the dust on the
roads was deep, even for New Jers ey.
| had previously asserted | k new
Mapes's farm TO be exempt from the
ravag es of drouth, and truly found
my predictions fully realized Not
4 single plant seemed suffering for
want of moisture; and, with their
roots deeply located in the subsoil,
hey seemed fairly to snap their fin
gers at the cloudless sky, and rather
20 rail at the Sun for trying to inter
ere with their private affairs.
One crop of corn deserves especial
notice from its abs olute magnificence.
Notwithstanding the fact that it is
growing on the Northwestern slope i
If a hill, and has not been visited by
ain for weeks, yet it stands, appa- /
emily regardless Of all untoward cir
and, although, from its
ocation and unfavorable season, one .
would think forty bushels per acre a
arge yield, it will, without doubt, be {
nearer one hundred bushels per acre.
Iere is an instance where truly SCI
ntifc knowledge has rendered its ,
entirely independent Of the |
,reatest drawback to ordinary sue I
ess, aud enabled him to raise good
rops in a bad season. Il
If this is not practical farming, l S
Iould ask some follower Of the grand
tther system to tell US what is. !
Let the devotee of national growth /
SIX himself which will produce the
reatest benefit to the country, doub-
ng our commerce or inducing every |
Irmer TO use the subsoil pillow and y
raining tile. y
The prolific farm of Prof Mapes, .
ending undd II its fruits while all the :
sigbboripg farms have had their i
ops parched in the fields, is a strik- y
e. commentary upon the neglect q t a
lose obvious truths, which so gene u
lily prevail among farmers. We ;
'ould suppose that the facts which i;
'eak Of the value of deep ploughing
e abundant enough to satisfy the :.
ost skeptical. But those which y
and in the fields Of Prof. Mapes "a
e exceedingly impressive and adj Ia
n 4