Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-05-06
Clio farmer.
Deep Ploughing.

PiouSuihS ID SIauudily anu JuulclOuSly deep
ened till an active surface soil of eight to ten
inches is attained, while the other is never
ploughed more than five or six inches deep,
and | feel quite sure that the land ploughed
deepest will produce the best of the two and
be worth the most in after years, either to
sell or to keep. Especially will the advanta-
ges of deep ploughing be manifest, in those
hot and dry seasons which in our climate so
frequently occur, when the crops of all kinds
will be much more likely to stand through
the drought and yield well in a soil deeply
worked, than in one that is shallow, with
perhaps a naturul hard pan near the surface,
OR an artificial one, produced by the oft-re-
peated action of the sole of the plough and
feet of the oxen or horses, in an invariably
shallom furraw channel.
An old friend, who has resided now twenty
years in Illinois, calling on me the other day,
remarked that in portions of that state the
farmers were already finding it advantageous
to plough deeper than formerly, when the
land was new; that on his farm, with sur
face soil mostly Of vegetable mould, on
subsoil of clay, he was now succeeding better
in the production of crops, by deep plough
iny, Notwithstanding that the surface soil is
somewhat worn, than he did formerly by shall
low ploughing and a virgin soil; and that
every third or fourth year there occurred
protract summer drought, witch was apt to
spoil the crop planted on shallow burrows, but
by deeper ploughing the bad effects of the
drought were, in measure, overcome, and
fair yield of corn secured.
From several years of practice and some
what particular observation, am persuaded
that there are but very few, if any, lands that
may be benefited by gradually deeping the
soil, say an inch or two at each breaking up
from grass, until depth of eight to ten
inches is obtained. The better class of lands
will of course be susceptible of a deeper filth
than could perhaps ever be conveniently given
to those of the poorest quality, with natural
ly a very thin surface soil, and loose, hun
CRY, Or sour, or cold subsoil. The former
will also allow Of more rapid increase in
depth of furrow thin would be advisable in
the cultivation of the latter OF course, no
one can reasonably expect that deep plough
ing alone will make the thin primatve soils
of New England highly productive We
cannot at the best do much at farming here,
without the liberal use of fertilizers accom-
panying good cultivation.
But the advocates of deeper ploughing
than commonly prevails claim that, in connec-
ton with good farming otherwise, their sys.
tenn insures a greater improvement of the
farm and more uniformly good crops, taking
all kinds of seasons into view, than can be
realized from shallow filth that land deep
ly and thoroughly ploughed derives more ad
vantage from desirable atmospheric influences
is easier to work in the after-cultivation o
the crops, and susceptible of more thorough
pulverization, than can be attained by tn
shallow and superficial ploughing which to-
commonly prevail.
But as remarked at the outset portion
of the community need to be cautioned agains
indiscriminate deep ploughing.
Land of inferior quality, especially as re.
CARDS the subsois, and that never was ploughed
more than four or six inches deep, is, perhaps
at once ploughed ten OF twelve inches deep
turning up huge slice of loose and hungry
or cold, OR sour subsoi, and burying the ma.
nure at the bottom of the deep furrow, away
from the agents of decomposition, where il
lies perhaps quite inert; the crops are plant
ed on the deep burrows, and not succeeding
well, as proprietor is perhaps mortified and
discouraged, and concludes that deep plough
ing will not do Now the great point is te
study the nature and condition of the sol
and subsoil and then adapt the practice tt
them.
In some cases, where the snbsol is quit
good, and manure can be plentifully applied
even if the land heretofore been plougheC
shallow, furrow eight Or nine inches may a
once be taken, with benefit to the land ant
all the crops of the rotation folowing-es
pecially if fine compost is plentifully ant
thoroughly intermDgled with the under sci
now turned up to the surface, by cross plough
ing to the depth of four inches The afte
cultivation of the corn also will stir the sub
soil and manure up together 1t is goo
practice in such cases, the leave the sod, or
what was before the deep ploughing, the sur
face underneath, through the whole rotation
and the subsoil on top, where it is made ac
tive by the compost intermingled with it, an,
by the modifying influence of the atmosphere
A gentleman from Windsor County write
as follows:-
| kept last year four full grown Cows, fe,
very similar to your correspondent, writn
from Bethel, in the present weeks Freeman
which together with the milking l general
done myself, received for Butter and Calves
one hundred and sixty dollars, supplied
family OF six persons with every necessar
thing in the dairy line, raised four hundre,
pounds of pork, (mostly on milk and on
Calf now on hand.
l have been and are now of opinion, that
good Cow well kept would afford some prof
while the reverse will run man in debt eve
ny year.
A Coon Observation-Disclosures FREEMAN
A few days since happened at the barn
Mr.. Elon Rob inson, of Calais, which is 4
feet by 81 on the ground with ceIer unde
meath, and now contains twenty-four head
horned cattle, nine horses, some sheep, no!
and hens, &C., &C., together with lare
quantity of hay and grain for the season.
The stock consisted in part of four pair De,
on steers, all handsomely matched, and brol
to the yoke, nine Devon COWS, and red bu
calf half Devon and Durham mixed, whic
weighed 900 pounds at II months DID, ar
grit . feet 9 inches. Every animal has me-
and convenient place to sleep under the roc
1t any one has better specimen of Vermo
farming, we should like to zee it.
A LOVER OF FINE SToCK.
Calais, May /, 1858.