Southern shield., 1857-01-24
AoritnItaral.
Written IUr VIIe 'I10J T ''I 1h1 01 ,
 STIRRING THE SOIL.

what way does Stlrflng tue soli incredse tbe % moisture in dry weather? The an- swer m generally given, is, that it makes t tbe soil more porous and attracts the mo;sture ,a from the atmosphere, and that M the dews penetrate the loose sur @ foee more freely, and thus increase the noisture. This appears very reason able at first sight, but I am inclined to think differently, From close obser- ration and experiments followed up for a space of fifteen years, l have come to the conclusion that the soil sbsorbs little or no moisture from the atmosphere in dry weather, but that it is constantly giving it of, except on still nights, when there is a per ceptible dew. It is then suspended. but nothing of any consequence added to the soil from the atmosphere.
 The reason why soil that is finely nulyerized, and kept mellow, contains more moisture, is not in its power to absorb moisture from the atmosphere, but by its greater power of retaining that which is constantly arising from the subsoil. When we get finely nulyerized surface of dry soil, we get inc best non-eenductor of moisture we can have, five except old tan bark, short grass and such materials as are nsed for mulching. But such articles can only be used to a very limited ex- tent and do not apply to general cul- tiyation.
 Itis generally believed that the dews enter the soil, when finely pulverized, more freely than when the surface is unbroken. If this was so, we should not see it deposited on the surface of unbroken soil. If it has not been ab- sorbed what has become of 1t, for 1t surely must have fallen there as free lv as on other soil? The answer is very plain, if what have said of the power of finely pulverized surface to prevent the escape of moisture is true, for it is plain that if 1t possessed the property of preventing the escape of moisture from below, it will also ex- clude it from above in like manner.
 The fact is, the ground is actually more porous in an unbroken state, than when made fine and mellow Working the ground fine on the surface closes the pores and and thus cuts off evaporation which is the great thing to be obtained in dry season. There is always a great reservoir of mois- ture beneath, but when the soil becomes hard and compact, 1t passes ofso rap idly that the soil near the surface re- tains but little of it, but by having a finely pulverized stratum of soil at the surface, evaporation is arrested there, and the soil immediately below 1t be- comes charged with moisture from be- | low, and not from the atmosphere, as | is generally supposed. Little advan tage will be gained by stirring the ground in a dry time, unless the sur face is left smooth and fine. Hence the great advantage of the cultivator over the blow for stirring the soil, as it leaves the ground smooth and fine, ex- posing less surface to the drying in- fuence of sun and winds. After the soil has been well worked and made l deep and mellow for the roots of plants to penetrate freely, and a fine smooth surface obtained, little will be gained | 5y stirring again until the soil becomes 1 packed, (unless to keep down weeds). | After rain the surface should be stir red as soon as the ground is dry enough to work down fine and smooth. Ground that works up rough and lum- py, as IS sometimes the case, after a wet spring, on stiff soils, will be more benefited in point of moisture by breaking down the Jumps, than by too frequent stirring, if allowed to remain in its rough state.
 | JOHN SAVERS. | Cottage Garden, Cincinnati, 0. \ We thank the writer of the forego- \ ing for his practical views upon the ! important subject of a mellow surface E mcultlvated crops, and concur with the B oplnlon he expresses. The amount of moisture absorbed from the atmosphere 0y mellow soil depends mainly on the comparative moist temperature of the two. If a recently stirred surface
 moderately moist and of tempera- twe l0aoer than that of the surroun- dlng atmosphere, the moisture from the latter, will, in some degree be 1condensed and absorbed by the soil, :, but when the temperature of the two nearly in equilibrium, then but
 little moisture will be condensed rom the atmosphere and taken up by the soil. When the dew falls upon a hard, unbroken surface, it remains in mbroken globules until it is again
 evaporated by the heat and sun of the
 morning, but if it falls upon a mellow
 most surface, much of it will be ab-
 s0r6edby the soil which adds so much
 10 the capital stock on d.-EDs. HNF.