The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1860-09-01
FACTS FoR FARMERS.
From the Chicago Prairie Farmer.

to the public through the columns of the
Prairie Former. and other agricultural jour
nails, that would fain hope there was no
further need of any remarks upon the sub
i ject; but let any one ride through almost
any part of the West. and he viii soon be
convinced that only now and then can be
found farmer who thinks we'll enough of
deep blowing to be induced to introduce it
as the rute of his farm operations. As yet,
the 'sgood old way" of ''3 inches deep by
l6 inches wide," is the rule and not the
exception. Surely. it must be by cline up
on line and precept upon precepr" that the
most valuable agricultural truths are to be
forced into the slowly yielding heads of our
| farmers.
g With me the question is settled ONE
Experience, that best as we'll as most expen-
sive of all teachers, has taught me not only
the desirableness of deep cultivation, but,
| also, that it is indispensable to good and
uniformly successful farming. Subject as
we are, throughout the entire West, TO alter
| nations of wet and dry seasons, we can
never hope for any uniformity of results in
farming until by the systematic adoption of
! deep blowing or understanding we fit our
lands to meet these exigencies of our eli
mate. A deep and thoroughly pulverized
seed-bed, alike capable of receiving into its
| capacious bosom the super-abundant show
ers of rain, or the parched roots of our
plants, eager in their search after moisture,
we mast have, or the cry Of ''short crops"
| must be the common accomplishments of
western farming. Although thoroughly
convinced upon this subject, do not pro-
| pose TO adduce new proofs respecting it at
this time I am fully satisfied, and l feel
| certain, that no one, who will experience
for himself, can fail to reach the same con-
illusions.
NY object in writing is to record my ex
perience in the use Of two implements for
the accomplishment of deep blowing, which
tbus far have operated TO my entire satisflc
ton. And in this matter of farming i'm
plements, | am glad TO be able to recon-
mend SCDaething from actual trial. If in
anything farmers are terribly swinded, it is
in the way of expensive farm machinery,
widely be-puffed hut seldom effective. So
often have we all been deceived that we can
almost see ''bumbug" written acrees the
face of every newly announced u!ensil.-I
Let me assure your readers that, respecting
the tools of which now write, ''speak by
The book have tested them. And the
| first to which l will alude is the sub-soil
lifting plow manufactured by John Deere
81 Co., Moline, Illinois.
/ have used this in all the blowing done
| this spring. By It's aid have been ena-
bled to prepare all our corn grounl to the
depth OF from fifteen to eighteen inches. 1t
| is run in The turrow behind an old ground
plow, and lifts the sub soil without throw
| ing it upon the top OF the furrow) to the
depth of from eight to ten inches, leaving
IL Gna li,.Ef baI Of he
draft is exceedingly light, requiring only
the strength of a small pair of mules, and
this, too, in stiff and compact clay sub
soil. Upon prairie land, L presume a sim
gle stout horse would be snffieient, although
Two would Re better. enabling the operator
to SO that much deeper. This plow can
only be properly appreciated by trial. /
have never seen anything which was at
once simple and efficient. All who have
used it in this vicinity. or who have seen
it at work, pronounce its operation perfect.
For all spring -pluwing, for ditching, or the
preparation OF ground for fruit-planting or
under raining. would heartily and unhes
iIatingly commend their pillow as the best
which has come under my notice.
g, The other implement is also a plow-the
Michigan sub-soil pillow, made by the same
parties. This has already been described
and appropriately commended through your
columns, so that 1 was quite prepared to-
expect good things from 1t; but am free
to say had formed no adequate conception
of its merits.
have used ii this season upon the break
ing of piece of 'bszel-rough," where a
common sixteen inch breaking low would
have been all tha. two yoke of oxen would
care 10 pull. and yet that amount of team
has easily pulled this plow, turning the sod
fully eight inches deep, burying grass, ha-
gel bushes, willow and everything complete
~ from sight. The field, after narrowing,
could scarcely be distinguished from land
which had long been in cultivation. Any
crop could be grown upon new ground
plowed in this manner, and cultivated as
well as upon the sod of any timothy field.
sincerely believe that no intelligent farm
er, after Witnessing the operation of this
plow in breaking, would be willing 10 use
any thing else. and my only surprise is, tha;
it has not already superseded every othex
plow for this purpose. Nothing but theN
indisposition of farmers TO depart from old
habits can be offered in explanation.
For fall piowiug, l know of nothing bet
ter. Upon ground SO plowed last fall,
scarcely weed has grown this season, and
MISUNDERSTANDING the excessive Oroutn OF
| this summer. our corn is as green and
/ thrifty as could be desired. SEED also ger
inmates upon it much more quickly and
evenly than upon the same ground plowed
this spring. But have already far exceed
ed the limits intended. Let me close BY
| urging all who read these lines to avail
themselves OF the benefit of these two plows.
By their thorough use. yonr ground win be
kept in fertility. and you will be exempted
from weeds, defended from drouth. and Sc
cured from the evils of an excessively wet
season, your deep soil drinking up and re-
tanning The rains and dews of heaven.
j. g. STow.
Iowa City. Aug. 2, 1869.
How TO SHAPE APPLE TREEs.-Silas Nc
! Doweli, of North Carolina. tells how he
gives shape to his apple trees. in the July
| CTdneinnofus. He says:
al plant the thrifty young trees from the
nursery, of one and two years old from the
graft. cutting down the top to four or FIVE
/ feet high, leaving from three to four good