Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1854-04-20
farmers department,
Sub. Soil PIowing over and over Again

Sub-Soil Flowing over and over Again
"BILLY BARLOW" used to be tolerated il
circus shows, and allowed to reiterate his
sorrows whenever he chose. We claim the
privilege Of intruding our notions as to sub
soiling, as often as the vein of expression is
filled up by the wants of the country, and to
repeat, again and again, the principles which
recommend this process, as the only way
we have of convincing farmers "against
their WILL" that it is all to their future ad.
vantage to go into it widely and deeply.
The various kinds Of soil spread over the
face of the earth, all indicate that there
must be some process by which these varie-
ties of soil may be brought into uniform
production. Surface plowing will not do
this, for the soil is in no wise changed by
this process, and it cannot always be render
ed available for the use of plants. BY bring
ing the subsoi in contact with the atnos.
phcre, the changes which take place immedi
ately renders it productive. If this sub.sol
were turned up, and the surface mould SUBJ
verted, such would not be the immediate re-
suit The introduction Of the ub.so plow
admits this desired atmospheric action to
the lower stratums, and at the same time
extends the area for the roots of the plants
cultivated, leaving the sub.soil in state to
be benefited by the percolation of the rain
water and acting rs a drain in seasons of
great wetness-thus rendering the superin-
cumbent soil always in a proper state Of
friability to readily afford food to the grow
ing crop. Upon thin soils, sub.soing has
the immediate and desired effect of deepen
ing the soil-though this should be doue
gradually, and too much of the tenacious
clay should not he exposed by the first oper-
alton. When sub.soiirg is applied to such
lands, the operation should be annually y re-.
peated, so that the surface soil should be
gradually intermingled, in order not to injure
the immediate cropping OF the field.
When the sub.soil is composed Of tough
clays, not allowing the free descent OF the
water, and causing the land to become, from
long continued saturation, sour, it is a well
known fact no crops will succeed well if
planted thereon. The thorough sub. soiling
of such soils, frequently is the only medicine
required to make them highly productive
Aud so, too, upon lands underlaid with hard
pan formations, not allowing the penetration
of the roots, sub.soiling is the remedy, for
the clay and hard pan being broken, the
stragnant water which sours the earth, pas.
ses through and, in its course, fits the disin.
tegrated soil for the reception and nourish.
ment Of those roots which, in its former in.
hospitable nature, it rejected. The more
depth Of soil we have, the more extensive is |
the store.house of nourishment for the crops
we plant. If we do rot feed them, they
canpot flourish; and the very facts that du.
ring excessive rains the soil is rendered bet
ter adapted to the growth of plants, and du.
ring extreme drouyhts Il greater quantity of
nvgorating moisture is held at the service
OF plants upon sub. sniled lands, should rem.
der all planters who cultivate poor, arid, aud
unproductive lands, practical advocates Of
the system. We challenge reiutation OF
the ideas advanced BY US, from the expert.
ence of those who sub-soiled during the past
season. The results with us were most Ia
vorable, and many persons with whom we
have conversed, have drawn conclusions
similar to our own. We moreover contend
the sub.soing would allow greater economy
in the use of all kinds OF manures, and with
better aud more certain effects in their APP
plication, from the simple fact that the am
monia contained in them will be retained
longer and more eli'ecually than in shallow.
er and more imperfrcIy pulverized soils.
The hot sunshine will have but little effect
when the fertizing constituents OF the ma-
nure and the natural elements Of the soil are
beyond its evaporating reach.-Southern
A sriculturist.