Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1855-08-18
farmers Department.
Deep Tillage.

Deep plowing turns the drought to good
account, and reiders mulching and irrigation
comparatively useless, or, if used more efhcaci-
Gus. During a dry spell and in trenched
ground roots strike deeper in search Of food
aud moisture, become more extensively ramified,
and sooner find the rich loan and manure inter
mingled deeply with the soil The teaching
process, as it is called, is reversed, and takes
place upwards more than at any other time, or,
in more scientific phrase, capillary attraction is
increased. As each particle of moisture is
evaporated from the surface, it is succeeded by
another aud the whole soil is filled with the
ascended moisture and gases, which are ap-
propriated by the numerous rootletS as they
have need.
The wet season is also blessing to the deep
cultivatOr. The more rain, the more heat,
ammonia carbonic acid and other organic
elements are left in the soil as it deScends.-
As each drop filters through, it is succeeded by
another, or by air, both essential to vegetation
and to dissolve, act on, or combine WITH the
inorganic elements of the soil AS the water
drains off, is sure to follow, and this is the
proper mode of its circulation. Each is also
generally at higher temperature than the
undrained land, and the warmth of the under
soil is therefore relatively increased. The
farmer often objects to this waste of water, and
would retain it for dry time The trenched
and porous soil holds water like sponge, not
withstanding the drainage 1t retains or can
command enough for the wants of vegetation
Bat let us see the operation on the undrained
land.
The farmer often speaks Of his " cold wet
land" No variety of soil, in anv location, is,
OF a+o,
which trencing, draining, &c, allow to pass of
after imparting its virtues to the soil, if retain
ed on or near the surface by hard impervious
sub-soil, becomes itself 10y its changes, the
source of the GOODNESS complained Of Instead
of running of, it cvaporateS, and by this process
abstracts great quantity of heat from the
soil and surrounding atmosphere The eyapo-
ration Of apound Of water requires about 1000
degrees of heat some authors stating it less
and Others more. Or it reduces 100 pounds
of air 45 deg. This is sreverSing the experiment
of Prof johnson, in ESpy'S :" BooLof .St0rms"
where he says, " a pound of vapor" condensed
to water " would heat 100 pounds of air about
45 deg. The ground to a considerable depth
is warmer, by many degrees, where the rain is
drained off, instead of being allowed to
accumulate and evaporate. Hence this enor-
luouS lOSS vi all llNdludDIe STIMULUS TO Negcta-
ton
This chilling and deadly process of evapora-
ton is going on to excess from the time frost
comes out of the ground in the spring, till
freezing again occurs. At this period, the I'M
drained land having the most water to free
becomes the warmest, say in December, when
of no value to vegetation bat rather an injury
For once, forsooth, the undrained land is
warmer than the drained But for this excess
of heat in winter, this kind Of land must pay
dearly in early spring. How is all this
inquiries the farmer. Simply because water, in
congealing to either ice or snow, has its capacity
for heat lesSened about onc-nnth, and this
excess is given off TO surrounding bodies Or
in other words its latent heart isset free On
the other hand, ice, or frost as it is cal!d in
the ground in melting, demands back this same
heat, at the rate of from one-eighth to one
ninth Of 1000 deg for every pound melted :
and under the surface it does not obtain all this
directly from the sun, but through the oil :
therefore the mere water the colder and longer
cold will be the land in tie spring. Now let
the agr;culturst go to work and make this
cold, wet, heavy land" Of his, the very best
he has for any product trees, vegetables, grains,
OF grasses.