Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1855-03-15
The Garden.
Observation-Disclosures DIGGING.

thorough preparation of the soil is mat.
ter of primary Importance, l have deter.
mined to commence with this subject.
Wheresoever and howsoever the garden
may be situated, whatever its aspect and
soil, it is most desirable to have the earth
loosened, and, indeed, thoroughly turned
over in the fall and winter, in order that
the frosts of the latter season may have an
opportunity of aiding in the great work OF
pulyerization, so that the material may al
so be in the best condition to absorb and
store away for the coming crops, the am,
monia brought by the gentle showers, and
the still more gently falling snow, with its
richer freight of this invaluable vegetable food
So soon as the crops are removed, in the
autumn, this process may be commenced and
it may be continued throughout the winter
whene er the icy bonds of the frost king dc
not interpose resisting barrier. A crust OF
frozen earth will interpose but slight re-
sistance TO the pick and the spade, and will
in the process of overturning the soil, make
the benefit of frost more general through the
mass, since the expanded frozen portion, will
occupy less space when i.,haws, and allow a
better entrance to the air.
All digging, bu, more especially all winter
| digging, should be done rather roughly-ihe
complete, elegant appearance of the work
| left bv your accomplished digger, who may
slight his performance, by shallow stirring OF
the soil, but who will spend much time IN
comminuting the surface, and rendering II
very fine and very smooth, is not al all what
is desired, especially in this winter operation
rather give US a roughlooking surface, the
/ clods scarcely broken, the frost will mellow
/ them sufficiently, and, indeed, with such sur
face i, has an increased opportunity TO do lis
/ invaluable share of the work, while the por-
| ton thus exposed for absorbing the Amos
phcric riches is also greatly increased
| The importance Of thoroughly draining the
soil cannot be too forcibly impressed upon the
minds of those who would properly prepare a
piece OF ground appropriated to garden
! This matter has been frequently presented to
the readers of the previous volumes, and in
many publications has been reiterated, and
substantialed by powerful arguments, deduced
/ from successive practice, and hence need not,
in this article, be further extended. Draining
the ground, as primary operation, conduc-
i've 10 the best results in the garden, the vine
ward, the nursery and the orchard, as well as
the more extended fields of corn and wheat in
which the farmer takes a just pride, will again
be presented, and its claims to consideration
will be urged at the future period.
That digging may be Of the greatest advan-
tage, it should be well performed; the spade
or fork, whichever be used, should be driven
deeply into the soil, the portions taken up each
time should not be too large, and little aiien-
ton should be paid TO breaking it up finely !;
but it will be OF great consequence, IN throw
ing down the spit, that the original position be
reversed so that the earth may be turned up
side downs
\ great improvement upon common dIGg-
ing may be effected by keeping the furrow or
, trench open, and then working up the sub-soil
with the spade, fork, or even with pick or
mattock, especially ifthis part be compact and
solid; and, if there be crust or indurated
layer called a hard,pan, this process will be of
great value to the crops Of the next and ensu-
ing seasons. Ridging the soil, even in com
mon digging, is of advantage by exposing a
greater surface TO the action ofthe atmospher-
ic influences-this is done by digging IN strips
three or four spades widths, and throwing the
earth from the right and left upon the middle
portion Of the land.
Ircnching the soil is still more eilicacious
operation, ,inasmuch as by it the earth is stirred
and more or less mixed TO still greater depth.
This process has some notifications which
shall endeavor to explain to the reader. Simple
trenching consists of twice digging the soil,
or stirring it two spades deep, leaving the two
layers of earth in their natural position, ORE
versing them. In the first place an opening
is made across one side of the space to be dug,
the surface-soil is dug out TO The width OF about
two or three feet, from which all the surface
earth, removed by the frs. spit, is thrown aside
and left, to be used at the last One-haif OF
the sub-soi, or second spit is then thrown out
by itself. and the remainder is dug up and de-
posted in the deep ditch or trench lastopened
the workmen then proceed 10 dig the next
s,rip Of the surface-soil; after having marked
off with a line and cut with the spade, the
necessary width, it is thrown over across the
omen trench in the subsoil, and upon that por-
ton of the sub-soil that is dug-the sub-soil
of this second strip is then dug up and thrown
into the trenchbeSide it,leaving in turn another
cavity, across which the next row or slice oil
surface-soi is thrown, and so on TO the end
when this is reached, the first sub-Soii mat
was removed is wheeled or carted round from
the place of beginning, and then the first sur
face-soil is brought and spread over it, SO that
there is no trench left.
Where the object Of trenching is TO reverse
the two LAYERS of soil, the mode OF procedure
is somewhat similar, but more simPie-the
trench is first opened as before, but the soil is
all removed 10 the depth Of two spades and
thrown aside-thc second strip is then mark
ed of. and the surface-soil is thrown into the
bottom of the trench, after which the sub
soil is lifted and thrown upon that just dug.
In all these operations one man can perform
the work alone. but several may labor togeih-
er to advantage, and as some portions oi the