Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-02-24

examination showed the top SOL to be entirely dried
out below TIE roots but very loose.
Rains ensuad, and SON ali commenced growing
nney o1t l2e iast men Toned portions did not grow
thick or Obtain healthy deep green color.
Then came another drought with the following
result: -S''o -
The old manured porsions grew good stsIlra "a 10
size, not very good in color but were the rst 10
VIII, OWING % tneir oeng more advanced in growth
than the freshly manured parts The tassels nnt
out in the drought, and were burnt dead bv fine sn
and never silked in consequences. The stalls on
the unmanured portions were small and tho tasssIs
killed. The stalks on the hammered portions were
larger, but still small, and their tasseIs were als
killed But the corn on the old feLce-row was
good. The cultivation of the crop was BY the cnI-
tivator ard shovel plow nothing to lead To these
different results. The loose soil was about rs in
ches deep, and well pulverizea.
This experiment in deep plewing convinced me of
two things: First, that it is not the depth of the
loose soil, but the amount of its vegetable matter
that causes it to retain moisture and resist drought
Second that soil enriched by stable manure even
when it has been for years the SOIL does not ena-
Bile it to resist drouth 1t is the carbon of decayed
plants that retains moisture, and not soil made rich
by absorption of gases, or by mineral manpres.
The subsoil of the elays i have spoken of have
no carbon, but minerals and hence in turning them
up, gave tie nothing to add to its growth but
soil that could not resist drought. Deep blowing
therefore, in such soils must be done Uey gradually
AHA dcCOHlpdneu ny lurufu uIluef IS II dcN Negeta
bic matter as possible. In deep, alluvial Soils the
case is very different. They have abundance Of
carbon and mold and as soon as the atmospheric in
huences begin to decompose them the crops are fed
abundantly. Such is the soil of our model farmer
Mr. RabD, near Rising Sun, and hence our passage
at arms in the Gazette relative to the benefits Of
deep blowing,
Ny general deep blowing has but confirmed these
facts and conclusions. Ny neighSors, with not as
good topsoI, but who did not plow deep enough
to turn up the lower portions OF the topsol or the
upper portions Of the subsoil have raised better
crops than l did. But he who looks for the ulti
mate good o. deep, oh soil, must forego present
advantages. He should plow deep but gradually.
broke up, as deeply, some ground-a portion
MANFRED well, part fermented and part unferment
ed manure, and portionnot manured-and painted
early with potatoes The results were the same
with THE diference-that the best potatoes were in
the fermented manuring
Al other Itch, plant d late, however, which was
the best the 1ast season. because of the late rains
had been bro ken deepl', but gradually So produced
the best poa toes evei raised Its cultivation was
different however, having in the midst of the second
drought buried the roots deeply by throwing the
middles upon them with large, broad shovel pillow
"a mode Of cultivation, in droughts, superior to
flat cultivation