Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1861-07-10
Aotifullutal
srlRrltEsOlb rllURuCUnii
AND FREQUENTLY.

A writer oi the n H. Farmer gives
the following substantial rcnsons Tor
frequently hociug and lonscning tho
toil while the crops are growing, ir.
respective OF the destruction oi grass
and weeds
Land that has been plowcd, har.
rowcd and brought toa pretty smooth
surface, aud left in that condition,
soon has n crust formed upon it in
consequence Of the evaporation of tho
moistcr which Is contained. This
crust will vary from quarter Of an
inch to an inch in thickness, and on
somo soils becomes 50 tenacious that II
cake of it several inches in diameter
may be taken up. When land is i'm
this condition, it is not in proper
state to receive the tcrtiizing indu-
cnccS which always surround it, and
of which it would avail itself under
more favorable circumstances.
!. If the season is Il dry one, and
showers are few and light, the crust
will lead off most Of the water into
low places, instead Of receiving it
into the soil, as it would iftho surface
were light and porus.
9 When in this condition the roots
of the crop are especially deprived OF
these things, viz:
The moisture which the rain water
supplies, the ammonia which is car
ried along with it, and the heat which
the rain-water contains.
The first is indispensable to plants +,
the second is 4 powerful stimulant, as
it renders other matter soluble which
feed the roots; and the third supplies
the bottom heat for them, which
keeps the plants growing when cold
and chilling winds are passing ovor
the surface. These several advanta-
gos arcin great measure lost by neg
Letting frequently to stir the soil.
;. Suppose Il dra aught prevails.
Will an unhoed field resist its infucn-
ces, as long as 4 field well hoed? Moth
ing like it; because when the rain
falls, it is mostly led off on the imper-
yous crust, unless it comes in the char
acter Of q storm, and continues
for many hours. fwell hocd, how
ever, the surface is light, porous, and
in u condition to be influenced by sew
oral causes.
First, by the air, The atmosphere
not only hangs over our fields, but
rises upon the surface with pressure
of fifteen pounds to an inch. This
air, or atmosphere, is always filed
with moisture, as may be dcmonstra-
ted at noon or any hot day by filling
a'pitcher with cold water. In n few
moments the outside of the pitcher is
covered with beautiful transparent
drops. Where do they como from
Why, the pitcher sweats, oxclaim
several about the table ? Butno water
passes through it, certainly, as mois.
ture does through the pores of the
skin when we sweat. Nor was any
water spilled upon the outside oft
when it was filled, although the drops
now tricllled down its sides and wet
n place foot square in the table
cloth. Wonderful How came it
there ? No human eye is keen c.
n0ugh to detect the alchemy of the
transmutation The pitcher being
filled with cold water, becomes con.
denser, and when the warm air touch
cs it, its vapor or moisture, is conden-
sed and formed into drops on the
outside, and this proves that the air
is full of moisture. Now, in n well
cultivated field, this is precisely the
operation of the air upon it during Il
drouth. The surface of the soil is
light and porous the air containing
moisture, rests upon it, and passes
through the loose particles, until it.
gets down where the soil is cooler than
itself, and it is then condensed, and
the feld is actually ,catercd IN the mjd-
die Of the hottest dag in Juiy ! This
operation is continually going on
through hot, clear days. In the
night, when tho air becomes cooler
than the eatth, the moisture is con-
denced on the leaves of plants, and
blades OF grass, and 1t is called dew.
Some of this falls to the ground and
is taking up by the loose soil,
other portions are absorbed by the
plants, and the remainder goes back
into the air by evaporation, when the
solar rays impart their heat to it.
Thus the field of the careful farmer,
which is nicely hoed, is daily watered
in the hottest days by natures own
processes, while that of the careless
farmer is pinched for the want of
moisture, the corn leaves curl, turn
yellow, and lose so much vitality
that the crop is ruined.
Who will say, then, that hoeing is
not among the most important items
of farm work
WHAT is A SOUND HoRsE?-Oliph-
ant defines soundness thus ave NAV
call horse sound, when he isl
free from hereditary disease, and it is