, 1858-12-10

longer than on the rest of the field. In
every stage of the growth Of the wheat that
extra folding was shown as distinctly as il
colored on q map. The crop was thicker
and more early laid, and more frothy at
harvest. Strictly speaking, three pecks, in
stead of one bushel, of seed would have
been the proper quantity for that portion.
| am still Of opinion that land can never be
too rich for wheat, provided the quantity
sown is adapted to the circumstances Of the
field.
never found any farmer who complained
of my not having straw enough; on the
contrary, thick sewers have admitted that
the quantity was much larger than their own.
On light chGlky soil, or limestone rock,
especially at high elevations, as in GlOuces.
tershire, have known thick and early SOW
ing practised, because by covering the
ground early it protected the roots from
frost. We know quite well that, whilst the
leaf Of wheat suffers lite from frost, the
plant, when root frozen, is destroyed. I'm.
der such circumstances it might be advan.
tageous to thin out the wheat by hoeing in
the spring. In light loose sands the wheat
root is apt to suffer unless sown early.
1--WE give the above AS tire opinions of
one who has had great experience in thin
seeding, and who was one Of its earliest ad.
vacates. We still think, however, that as
general rule, farmers in this country, are in.
claed to SOW too thin rather than too thick.
Our reasons for this opinion need not be re.
pcated at tllis time. + GeAesee Farmer.
How TO Relieve Soils severely affected by Dry
Weather.
From valuable scientific article, show
ing wherein Drought benefits the soil" we
obtain some interesting facts:
In dry parchcd soil like ours, where the
earth becomes hard, almost the entce action
of moisture ceases, the earth forming hard
pan at certain distance down, all above es.
capes, while the moisture below rises onlj
up to this hard pan, now like heated brick,
and absorbs it on the under side, but is una
Bile to pass through this strata, and consc-
quently never reaches the surface. This is
the reason why all vegetable matter perishes
upon our adobe lands.
Wherever true cultivation has been pur.
sued, and this hard pan once thoroughly
brt ken up, and a constant stirring of the
soil pursued by the eultivator, the soil be-
comes entirely changed. The system of
subsoiling upon our adobe lands, and
deep, constant moving OF the soil has changed
the claycy heavy soil TO a rich malleable
earth, which ever aher will be found fill of
moisture during the drycst weather, and
such soil it is that is to be favorably affected
by what the writer calls drought, as explained
in that article, is to draw up nourishmen,
from the depth below to the roots that play
along the surface of the earth, where the
drought is most sensibly felt.
Now as applied to this country, to Califor.
MIA and Oregon, if the earth is permitted to
remain during this drought unmoved, it would
bc impossible for the sun to draw up through
this hard pan these nourishing properties
spoken of in the article referred to, and that
our farmers may not suppose we could for
moment advocate or indorse a drought
as beneficial for US, as the article says, it
would seem strange; but that We may make
use of all the means that science gives to US,
we urge that while We know exactly how these
properties are drawn up from the depths Of
the earth to nourish vegetation, we must be
careful to have the earth so prepared by cul-
tivation that there be no hindrance to the
workings Of these great natural Fids sent for
our success.
Here, then, lies the principal secret-the
moving the soil to generous depth in dry
weather, and in dry countries like ours.
Constant cultivation, the more the soil is
moved in dry weather, the greater the action
of these life-giving properties spoken Of, and
which by the constant moving of the soil
are drawn up from the subsoil by capillary
attraction, and brought Immediately in con.
tact with the roots Of whatever is growing
upon the soil. Every cultivator who will
carefully try the experiment Of frequently
moving the soil, and deeply, too, in the dry
weather, will see great results. Cal Far