The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1854-05-23
agrnnltural.
From the Rural Neto Yorker.
The Object of Flowing.

The object of blowing is not fully under
stood and considered by the majority OF Those
who perform the work /; if it were, it would be
done more faithfully and thoroughly. 1t Is
not alone to kill the weeds and grass, nor even
to furnish a seed bed of fresh turned soil for
planting or sowing-nor anything which looks
merely to the inversion of the sod-which con-
sttutes good blowing. Large plows, turning
wide and shallow furrow, will show large
DAVIS workout the work is imperfecty ac-
complished, when the true object Of blowing is
the preparation it gives the soil for producing
vegetalion-for giving to the plants sown or
planted, the elements Of growth and fruitful
ness. 1t should thoroughly pulverize and loos
en- the texture of the soil and thus admit free
circulation of air and moisture, which, by chem.
ical action, disentegrates or breaks down the
stony or mineral portions of the same, so that
they may be more readily dissolved and tahen
up by the roots.
In soil thus plowed-thus prepared for
yielding its support to vegetable lite--plants
can appropriate from far and near, the nutri
ment needed for their growth. 1t is dissolved
and ready for their use-not hidden in unbro-
ken clods, or slumbering in an undisturbed
subsoil-but awaits their action in trlable
and penetrable state, where every hungry root
let, sent OH to gather nourshment for its pa
rent plant, may find and appropriate it. 1t is
truly wonderful how full of minute roots the
soil of corn fields become, and if that soil is
fine and deep the deeper and closer together
will the fibres permeate and ntersect it. This
is true of all other crops and while the leaves
and fruit depend So intimately on the vigor and
extent Of the roots, these facts should always
be taken into consideration among the objects
Of blowing.
Fineness and depth Of soil are requisite in
order to perceive the full benefit of the ma
nures applied 1t is not tertIizing food in its
crude state which assists vegetation-it must
first become intimately mixed with i'll fact,
part of the soil Barn yard, manure especially
seems of little worth, while forming visible
LAYERS between the clods of a half plowed soil
it is often dry and coarse-and rather shun-
ned than sought by the roots sent out to forage
for suitable food. liza well prepared soil has
any strength and'virtue, it will yield it readily;
and poor land in good tillh is often more pro-
ductive than better soils less perfectly prepar'
ed. The influences of air and moisture, have
freedom to work, and they are no snggards in
gathering means to supply the waits otv'geta.
ton.
With these hints on the subject OF plowing
we might connect others on the process-the
best means of accomplishing that object-but
prefer to leave it for other pens. Will our
practical farmers, who have thought and exper-
imented upon the subject tell Us what pIow, and
what depth and width of turrow, taking also
soil, season, team, and time into consideration
most thoroughly looseus, pulver'zes, and in
verts the soil? This information would be of
much value to every farmer, and is especially
needed in the present state of agricultural pro
gress-for taking the country at large into &C.
count, plowingis more imperfectly performed
than any other part Of farm husbandry.