The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1855-02-16
AGRIC U L T U RAJ.
For as Union and journal.
TILL A g E

The principal object Of ,illase is 10 in
crease the appropriable food Of plants. Til
lage is mechanical process; its effects on
the soil, however, are both physical and
chemical. So far as tho merely chemical
effects are concerned, they are yet quite ih-
dependen, Of vegetation. Its by no means
easv 10 explain the varied changes pro-
ducei in the mould, and also in the inor-
garic constituents Of mould by the pnlver-
ulen, and highly amenda,ory processes Of
plowing and hOeing. But, nevertheless,
the mechanical and physical effects are
very percep,able to every observer. When
land is thoroughly wrought, ii will be light,
porous, very mellow, and susceptible OF at
mospheric influences, which, in various
modified degrees, have an ameliora,ing ac-
,ioa upon vegetation Of every kind, cspec-
tally during the incipent stages OF lis
growth. The productive power oi soils
will always be found 10 be in the ratio o'
its degree OF disin;egra,ion eaterss paribes,
and this is one Of the reasons why the thor
ough working of tilllage lands always pays
so we'll the extra labor bestowed upon them.
Spade culture is consequently far more
ehec,ual than cultivation with the plOw, as
!, pulyerizes and fines more thoroughly The
constituents. In countries where labor II
very cheap, this method Of culture is al
mos, universally adopted, and TO this Cir
cums,ance is attributable The very superior
produc,iveness OF mos, OF the cultivated
paris OF England, and many other cOnn'rie:
Of Europe. A late writer on this su biect
says -
"Thc principal obicc, Of blowing and
and hoeing. is 10 increase the quantity oI
available food Tor the crop; bu, while the
plants are presen, in the soil and growing,
il, is by no means certain that all the ma
nute or other fertilizers applied 10 the land,
or all the elements Of the crop naturally in
the soil, enter the roots OF the cultivated
plants, and appear al the harvest.
Under certain circumstances, the loss by
leaching and solar influences, is very large
In producing smallcrops Of corn, whea
and o,ner plants, the waste oi raw maieria
j. far greater in proportion TO the harves
than in large crops whose roots and foliage
cover the surface both in and above ,h'
soil, universally. Small corn or co,ioI
plants, and those quite dis,an, one from
another, greatly favor the yola,ilizaiion o
all soluble substances"
One of the mos, efficient implement,
ever invenied ior pulvsrizing all description
Of soils, is the culnva,or. By using one 0
these instruments, any land, however soli'
or compac, in'i,s texture, will be comminu
a,ed and reduced TO degree OF finenes
which ensure the healhful development
Of any species OF vegetation which II
consii,uuonally capaci,aiei 10 produce
BY passing lOngi,udinally and ,ransversel.
OF the piece, and repeating the operation
oi'eu as circumstances require, or until tn
finensss Of the upper stratum is such as
ensure. in tho estimation Of the operator
The dcsiir,, results. Flowing eigh, inches
deep, borrowing, rolling thoroughly, an'
then applying the euilivatOr in the manne
described. cshno, fail 10 produce ,il,h @
the mos, thorough kind. OK cul,iva,or
are highly efficient in pulverizins heav
lands, aud should 10 found on every farm.