Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1855-03-15


process is only an extension or modification
Of that just descrbcd-somewhat more intri-
cate in its description, however, may be adopt
ed by any one who understands the former
method. This triple ,renching is applicable
10 soils Of great depth which will allow ofturn-
ing the surface soil 10 the bottom, and to soils
in which the Sub-Soil is not too crude and
unfit for plants at the surface. In the cul-
ture of grapes and other decp-rootcd plants,
this thorough tillage will possess advantages
but Tor common garden plants the surface
soil should be retained near the tender roots
OF the young seedlings, which might suffer
for want of nourshment, in the unkind soil
from below, unless it have been manured
and well aerated by exposure during the
winter. The same remarks will apply to COM
mon ,renching of two spits deep, which often
brings up Il stiff claycy soil unfit for delicate
plants, before they have time to penetrate to
the better soil below.
One of the great and immediate advantages
Of trenching, next 10 the melora,ion' of the
soil, is the destruction of weeds, by burying
their seeds deeply, beyond the influence OF
heat and light; this spares the gardener
much labor in tending his crops but the
two greatest inducements TO perform this
labor, are the deep tillage, which prevents,
in a remarkable degree, the influence of
drought, and the happy effect of turning up
new portion of soil TO receive the melioratng
influence of eunshine and shower, frost and
dew, b. Which cloddy, yellow, cold sub-soil,
becomes rapidly changed into rich brown
frable soil, often rivaling the original surface
mould in productiveness.
modification Of this mode Of digging in
wide lands, will suggest itself 10 those who
object to car,ing the dirt first removed to the
end of work, TO fill up the las, trench. This
consists in LAYING off the ground into strips
of three or four feet in width. opening trench
across this narrow land, throwing aside the
dirt as before when the end of the portion
marked of has been reached, the open trench
is occupied by the earth, to be removed from
the first trench Of the next land, and so on to
the end. Each land in this plan begins by
closing that just dug, and the last is, in turn,
finished by removing the small quantity
thrown out at the commencement of the first.
Mr.. Nicol has adopted a combination OF
these modes of trenching, TO be employed
through a series Of years. He trenches three
spi, deep, turning the surfacc-soil into the bot
tom the middle portion remaining in place,
while the other two layers are reversed /; after
taking three crops from this surface, he trench
es two spits deep, bringing the middle TO the
surface; this is cropped 'hree years, when
irenching Of three spits, brings the middle soil
to the bottom, and restores the original surface;
this is cropped three years, when trenching
of three spits, brings the middle soil To the bot
tom, and restores the original surface to the
top, after rest of six years-he thus continu-
ally changes the surface, each portion resting
SIX, and producing, in turn, for three years.
Some OF my readers may suppose, that this
laborious method of digging their soils, will
not pay in this country-they may rest assur-
ed that it will reward them for their trouble
and expense BY increased crops, and by enab-
ling their vegetables to Withstand the aroughts
bl 81! tHNiG td.i ~ nv Hp"o',
as we may find cumulative testimony in the
experience Of every gardener; the excellent
effects of thorough trenching were remarkably
apparent during the last two trying seasons
while most crops were suffering dreadfully,
for want ofmoisturc, those on trcnchcd ground
continued to grow and thrive without days
in,ermission, and the soil was found 10 be
mellow, and damp, wherever stirred, instead
Of being baked and cracked, and utterly dry
Those who cannot be persuaded TO perform
this operation, or who have not the labor at
command to perform this operation, or who
have not the labor at command 10 perform the
work Alright, are urged to adept the next best
process, as a substitute. Let the plow, and
the sub soil plow, be brought into requisition,
though these be poor substitutes for the trench
ing, spade. and fork, and much better adapted
TO the field, than TO the garden, still hy their
means much good may be effected. Let the
large plow with heavy team do It's work of re-
versal-afier the dccp-running sub-soil plow
has done its part stIrring up the stiff clay bot
tom, let the turning plow come back throwing
the first furrow slice into its original POSITION
to be again followed bv the sub soil-gather-
ing with morrow furrow slices, that the earth
may be set on edge and then turned over
the whole surface may be stirred with these
two implements, to depth Of twenty inches
or more and thrown up into steep and narrow
ridges, and thus finally exposed 10 the frost
and sun.
The destruction of insects is one great good
effected by these winter operations upon the
soil. A series of nesimable value 10 the fu-
,ure crops, is thus performed at season when
We have most leisure, and to those readers
who have tender sympathies, whether for the
bugs themselves. or for their plants, il will he
some consolation, that now they will not be
called upon to witness the suferings of either
while in dormant siaic the larvr OF
many of these pests of the sarden,are quietly
cxtlnguished by the relentless grasp OF the
fros,-king. while others are appropriated TO
satisfy the cravings Of the fcathcrcd tribes
another result, perhaps not less narrowing 10
the sentimentalist occurs to the larvals known
as em rrorms, the dread of gardeners, on ac.
count Of their voracious appeiites among the
early products Of the spring; these low-lived
creatures are so inScnSibic TO cold,' that the
Frost can not affect them, through their tough