The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1856-10-15
lyrltulturQl,
From the Southern Guilty tor.
DEEP FLOWING.

DEEP FLOWING.
! MFSsRs EDlroRs :-uerewi.b | SEMI ,
few Iln$2 upon an old suhject-old, bu,
not exhausted, nor even sufficiently appre
clated here. 1t needs to be kept con,nu.
ally before the eyes of our "go a.head''
farmers who are too much addicted TO
rough and !!.make shift" culture-killinp
too often the goose ip search of the coi.
den egg. 1t may arrest the attention of
some one Ill his preparation OF the next
years crop, and thus fulfil its mission of
G ,od.
1t is at yopr service if you think i,
worth place in the Cultivator.
Volumes have been written to prove the
advantages Of deep blowing and thorough
draining, and volumes will yet be written
again to urge and recommend them; for
they are the cardinal principles in all
good tilIage, and their value is too apt to
be overlooked. They require time and
labor to perform properly, aud unless their
value is trueIy estimated they are too OF.
ten neglected in the hurry of preparation,
and the anxiety to cultivate more extcn.
sive'.
Let us condense il Jew lines conae of
the advantages of deep blowing; hy Which
IS meart not only the thorough pulverizinc
of the upper soil TO. considerable depth,
bat also the losenipg OF the spbsoil for,
within reasonable liuits, there j. 20 doub,
that the deeper the plowing the more ef,
fectual it is.
lst. 1t lets in air to the roots. The
roots and more especially the small root
lets and spongelets at their ends, need n
certain amount of atmospheric air TO per
form their functions in healthy manner.
| When the soil is shallow and lady pull
verIzed they are forced 10 the sqstace and
are thus TOO much exposed to The yicjssi
tudcs Of the weather. In deeper soils
they have wider TIapgq qf p2sturage and
are not so mpcl exposed to. The aTtarna.
tons of hot and cold-wet and dry.
?nd. It permits freer access of air to
the soil. There is a constant disintepra.
ton going oR. in. the soil , bssaking
down and pulverizing of the parts Which
have been turned Up from below, when
the soil is made of rocky matter decom.
posing an situ. by this means fresh ma.
terials Of value are added and new cle-
ments introduced. To hasten and carry
on this process the oxygen Of the air is
necessary, ard the pore freely il is sup
piled the more rapidly it goes on. A good
supply Of air IS also necessary to carry on
the Fermentation and decomposition ofany
compost manures which may have been
applied.
3rd. 1t allows tie freezer passage of the
small rootIets, which permea,e The soil
and ranq;EE ip every ljy2c.ion, more than
through hard and compact ground.
4lh. 1t permits Q( an easy passage 10
rain water, which, in a vet season. Would
collect on the surface and stagnate.-
Nothing is more injurious to vegetation
than stagnapt water, whether ling OF
the surface, or in the water soLbed soil
1t arrests ventilation Of the land, c!ons
the roots and stem with deleterious mai
ter, scalds the tender roots under the
burning midday sun, and cbilys them A.
night from excessive evaporation. IT
On the other hand, 10y the free passage
OF rain water downwards, the roots are
| supplied with carbonic acid and ammonia
't%o gases highly important to vegeta.
ton.
5th. In time Of droull it affords n pas-
sage upwards Of the moisture from below,
and thus furnishes supply when it is most
needed. This moisture which comes from
below holds in solution more or less OF So
IlubIe earthly matter which Is needful TO
the plant; and that portion which is not
used by the growing plant is left in the
sol, as the water holding il in solution r;s-
es TO tue surface and, eyaporates.
Thus in one word, deep blowing gives
air to the roo:s and to the soil, allows a
freer pasturage to the young roots, lets of
SUI eiiluous water. from above when the, q
is excess, and permits the rise of moisture
from below when there is deficiency; and
II any further argument is needed, let any
one look around him this dry season and
note how the deeply plowed and the shall
low crops have Jared, and then, pencil in
hand, make the calculation how much he
might have saved by incurring the addi-
t'onal labor and expense Of deep plowing.
X.