Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1856-08-14
Gbe Garnler.
Deep Tillage es. Drought

|
" Grass, barley, oats potatoes and corn are suf-
fering much for the want of rain" 1t is too
true; they are /" suffering much" especially
late sown barley and oats. Unless we have rain,
the straw will be short and the product mea-
gre one. But it s useless to talk of this we
would rather offer some hints on the best means
of escaping the effect Of these " dry SPELLS
these weeks asd months when little or no rain
falls upon the parched and thirsty earth. 1t is
not new subject with as--but its imp, 1tauce
will excuse repeated reference, "line npon line
and precept upon precep"
One of the most efectua preventives of the
effects of dry weather upon the crops in fresh
and mellow strte of soil in which they are grow
ing. 10 attain this perfectly, there is but one
way-frequeut stirring and cultvalion-but it
can be greatly promoted by proper preparation
of the ground before the crop is sown or planned
upon it. If land is deeply ploughed and thor
oughly puverized, and at the same time pre-.
pared, either by nature or by the subsoil or un-
der draining for The ready passing off of all sur
| plus water, it will remain for long time in
moist and mellow state. But shallow plowed
land, or that with retentive subsoil al short
distance below the surface is always found to
become comparatively sterile under the influence
of dry weather. A heavy rain falls, completely
saturating the mellow portion of the surface
soil, making it too wet for the favorable growth
Of plants, at first, but the surplus water has no
outlet through underdrains Or a porous subsoll,
it must pass away by evaporation, and surface
becomes baked and hard under the process.
Whereas. had W. soil been deep and mellow a
large portion Of moisture would have readily
passed off, aud tho earth have been lett in the
condition most favorable to rapid vegetation.
The effects of deep an shallow tillage upon
the moisture of the soil is readily observable by
everv farmer. We have had occasion to notice
it since commencing this article. Taking up the
hoe as an interlude to the pen. we found in spots
where the plough had but just SKINNED the sur
face, that the soil was baked and dry a least SIX
inches deep (as Ear as we dug anung the stones }
: while not three feet distant where well pIouehed
at two inches deep, it WAS mulst and fresh Pass
, ing through the corn field we found the hills
near stone heaps or stuinps were w,ed, and
t anos, burned up by the heat, while those on the
: open and well-plouahed space around were fresh
: aud vigorous The fneness of the soil also has
D considerable influence anything that Jumps
r however small will not retain moisture like thai
, well-pulverized and deep. This may be fire.
: quentIy noticed on head-lands where the stil is
y always in finer tilth from the more frequent
t pssage of the plough.
Some years since, in preparing piece OF
ground for the crop, portion of ii was thor
oughy suhsoied so that the whole soil was
t stirred to the deph of eighteen inches, and made
s fine and me low. The remainder had only the
usual preparation, and to This day slight
drough affects the shallow part, while one long
continued and severe is scarcely felt by the crops
: where it was deeply TILED. In greater or less
degree this is found to be the case on all soils
and proves conclusivey that subsoiIing is not
for one year-,hat It's effects will continue for
many years 1t has been found, we wonld re-
I mark, that ploughing ten inches in depth, or
even eight, upon pourous subsoil, would act
e ve,y bencfcially in preventing the effects of
y drou,h.
y Hoed crops need not suffer so severely from
y dry we4ihera spring grains and grass must do
: The soil must be kept clean and mellow by ire-
y ouent cultivation, which all farmers and garden
ers. know is very beneficial in this respect. 1t is
true that the evaporation of moisture is greatest
u from light soil but it is also true that 1t re-
10 ceiyes moisture more readily and largely from
all the sources which supply it. There is little OF
no dew upon the beaten pate, while the path al
W it side drips with wet. The fresh ruined earth
' receives much larger supply than that upor
- which a hard crust has formed-it penetrate'
farther, and hence passes off more slowly o
10 light showers this is also true Hence the NOR,
L. mellow the soil the less it suffers from lack o
rain when covered with growing plants.
n Deep and thorough tage is the best preven
is tive of the effects of drouth and the hest PREF
ir aration for growing profitable crops, whatever
E, be the character of the soil or weather.-Moor'
a. Rural Ne,o Yorker, July 10
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