The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1857-06-17
From the Plough, Loom and Anvil.
DEEP AND THOROUGH CULTIVATION

from tne fi0ugn, Loom ana Anvil.
DEEP AND THOROUGH CULTIVATION.
A writer in the Ohio Farmer, by the name
of Fast-and he is fact in the way of deep
Iploughing, but not too fast-says, we ought
to raise d great deal more corn to the acre,
and recommends the following as remedy,
in part, for small crops:
In the first place, make as large draft as possi-
BILE on the Farmers Bank, (the manure pile,) and
when the plough is started, which should be number
article and other, set il about one-thrd or half
deeper than usually is done old land say ten or
twelve inches, and with about twothrds the width
generally taken then, II you have good team, il is
not very hard work to do your ploughng frst-rate,
aud il you have any taste for seeing work done just
right you will return 10 the cut and mode
Of ploughlng again. Harrow well; mark out in
straight both ways then IL you have good seed,
as by all means you should have, laid carefully away
since last fall, TO prevent the cob from freezing
before il dries out, plant carefully, lwth good planter
If you have one j when through, take your team and
go on !, with good heavy roller; roll smooth. and by
giving reasonable amount of work with the culti-
sator in tending the crop, you may almost bid defiance
10 drouth or rain.
This writer should remember that four or
/ FIVE inches is about the average depth OF
what has hitherto been called deep ploughing
among Us. Even in England, and on the
continentof Europe, the ploughing is a little
neutrality-suspicious. to be deeper than it
really is-and we always deduct fifth from
their accounts, and rather more from our
own, believing, from careful observation,
that Europeans do not as q general thing
pulyerize the soil thoroughly to more than
four ilths Of the depth which their accounts
\ imply, and Americans only about three
fourths.
Our fast friend-we can think Of farmer
with such notions as his only as friend
recommends ploughing nearly three times as
deeply as has been the practice Of even deep
plOughers in this country. We are not
going TO take him TO do for this, for We be-
lIieye he is right. We would only guard
against too sudden a change, without con-
sldering what the subsoil consists Of. Some
subsoils contain abundance Of the salts Of
protoxide ef iron, and other matters too
sour and cold 10 favor the growth Of crops,
till long exposed to rains and air, or neu-
tralized BY the application Of an alkali in
the form Of lime or ashes; and even that
Large draft" " ON the farmers bank may
prove inadequate to secure crop the hrst
year.
II NAV be said that IL YOU deepen your
soil all az once from three OF. four TO ten or
. twelve inches, and loose the first crop, i Is
no matter. that you will be more than paid
. in the after crops. This might DO for the
retired merchant, who has money enough
and more than enough; but the great body
) of American farmers can i'll afford 10 plough
: deep. draw deeply from the manure.heap,
and then wait years for return. They need
: the return within SIX months Of making the
outlay.
We have generally recommended the
, deepening Of a soil BY deerees. We haN,
said, run the plough an inch or two deeper
each year, and watch the effect. Apply !
possible dressing Of ashes or lime 20 th,
surface, TO neutraiize any acidity that ma,
be turned up. Ii the crops are increased
more than the expenses Of cultivation are
keep on till they cease 10 be 50 increased
This would seem to be a safe course: ant
il is one which We would still reeommeni
: 70 farmers of limited means; though u ma.
not ia all cases be the best.
m 10 illustrate our meaning :-SuppOse yOl
:. have a field that has been pluughcd iOu
y inches deep, and with twelve loads u ma
nure TO the acre has given you forty bushcl
Of corn and other crops in proportion
! There can be no very great risk IN plOughin
that land six inches deep and applying six
teen loads of manure to the acre, and ashe
y or lime on the surface Of equal value wit
4, four loads more, equivalent ~ expense
twenty loads Of manure instead u twelve
This, IL must be confessed. would incrcas
= the cost 0f cultivation, for YOU came
thoroughly loosen and pulserile the soil ~
inches deeper than before without additions
labor, and the eight extra loads Of manur
Z are part of the farmers bank. II he use
= ! them on that field he will not have them q
4. another. But il the corn crop should
By increased 20 sixty bushels aud the aits
Ie. crops proportionally, the extra labor an
manure would be more than met. and II
farmer might with great confidence sentui
60 eight inches with twenty eight loads
OF manure for the next rotation, ten inch,
re' with thirty.six loads of manure for d
"; next. and W on, increasing the depth "
inches aud the manure eight loads year,
re. long as paying results should follow.
We may be thought over cautious b
some. X Inay be said that the country
full Of proofs, that We ourselves have pul
. lished abundant evidence that deep plougl
= ing paws better than shallow. and hcas
better than light manuring. All this
true beyond a question, as general rul
Nobody within gunshot Of the age We u,
IN doubts thst Ten inches ot lOuscned sol
y. ~ well filled with manure. pays better Than
"' scratched surface wid pinch ii manur
: The farmers who have rraCtised the form