Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-07-26
"Shallow Flowing The Great Error of
American Agriculture"

american Agriculture.
TFrom the American Farmer
Almost every summer furnishes abundant
proofs Of the great disadvantages of the prac-
tiee of shallow blowing, to both summer and
!, winter crops, if We were but disposed to open
our eyes and look for them. A very curious
one lately happened on my own farm.
A field was sowed with wheat by a tenant.
the blowing from three to four inches; a deep
hollow extended across part Of the field, in a
direction nearly east and west; the side ex-
posed to the north tolerably good, the south
exposure very rich; might be expected, the
wheat on the strongest soil made the most
Nspromising appearance in the fall, and also for
some time in the spring; in the early part of
which clover seed was sOwn on the whole
which came up well; drought came on late
In the spring; the south exposure drying nrst
the wheat soon showing the effects of it; and
the drought continuing, a considerable part
entirely Feyished the north exposure also
suffered, but being more shielded from the
action Of the hot sun, was not so effectuslly
dried. At harvest il was much the best wheat
notwithstanding the superior richness of the
soil on the other side. A still greater differ
ence appeared in the young clover; on the
south hillside it was almost entirely killed
on the other very little injured
have had some experience Of the beneficial
effects TO be derived from deep ploTing; but
the ObstructiOHs in most of my fields (partic-
have prevented my adopting the practice so
fully as | could wish, yet the success that has
always attended my experiments, in conjunc-
ton With my observations on the practice of
others, has been conclusive evidence to my
mind
In the year 1895, 1 took possession of my
present farm, and had field pIowed for
wheat, which had been thought for several
years before too poor TO cultivate, either in
wheat or Indian corn; / saw rye growing on
the best part Of it, two years before, Just be-
fore harvest, that think would not yield two
bushels to the acre. 1t was plowed early in
the spring, about eight inches deep, and re-
peated with harrowings, at proper intervals
several times during summer; it was sown
about the last Of the ninth month. The soil
bsing weak, the growth in the fall was slow.
is also IN the spring, yet regular. the color
Sll1ays good and no appearance of suffering,
either from drought or wet at harvest, the
straw was not tall, nor thick on the ground,
but the heads large and well filed; the pro-
duct, between sixteen and seventeen bushels
per acre, except part Of the field, sOwn with
q 3 kind Cf wheat / was not before acquainted
with, which was too thin, in consequence of a
= short allowance Of seed. / observed the state
u the soil, from time to time, until harvest
and found that even then, it was open and in
good tilth, except n crust of two or three
in,hes next the surface.
In the spring Of 1896, with large plow and
our horses, broke up part Of q field; meas
ured the plOwing frequently, and found it in
many places eleven inches deep and nowhere
less than seven; so that the average WAS at
least nine. This piece contained about four
acres, o. gentle deelivity; the surface too
much exhausted to pay for cultivating any
crop IN the common way; this blowing brought
to rhe surface about FIVE inches of earth that
ksd never before been exposed, which was
prInciPdiiy clay; at the upper edge of the
Of hrTs. .hNr H.
ually paler further down and of blush ap-
| pearsnce near the lower side. After several
y STRINGS, 1t was sUWn with buckwheat the
same year; the crop tOlerable; after buck
Wheat came OF. the ground was plowed and
sown in rye, in the eleventh month, very little
Of which came up, owing, as suppose, either
TO its being too late put in the ground, or the
seed not good. 1t remained without further
nllage uetil last year QS0O) when it was
again sOWE in-Alck wheat, which grew so
2 large as generally to fall. Before it was
I poWed IN the spring, L took several of my
friends 10 see the difference in the appearance
OF this piece and the ground adjoining, that
had lain the same length Of time out of til
lage; 1t was discernable to furrow; the deep
PloWed piece appeared of a fine open texture,
and dark color, thick set with white clover
the adJoiniOg ground, compact and hard, of a
pale ash cosr, bearing scarcely a grain of
any other kind Of grass than that common to
old hsids, known by the name of poverty
grass In short, one had the appearance of
an exhausted old field, and the other of land
lately manured. Those who expressed sem
tmsat on the subject, were of opinion that TO
tnose who did not know what oscasioned the
dInerence, the deep-plowed piece would sell
Tor double the price Of the other
Part Of another field, from having a very
retentlye clay near the surface was of that
Sp~szs cslled cold, or sour land and thought
unit TO produce any crop, either water or ice
generally appearing on the surface, in an
open time in winter. This was so thick set
With white aint-grsyel and stones, that the
first ploUing could not be deep; but having
cultivated several crops on il, taken off the
, largest OF the stones, and consequently been
able To get little deeper at each, succeeding
ploWlng, the nature of the ground seems al
tered. SO that now there is seldom either
water or ice 10 be seen on its surface, more
than Is common 10 other places. 1t is now in
red clover, very little of which has been in
iured by the late open winter. This piece has
been mauursd; il is therefore unfair TO- ascribe
the quantity Of the crops, which have been
good. TO deep plOwing only; though I an OF
opinion, that on such land manures are u OF OF
much consequence without it.
/ might have before observed, that one OF
the objections that will probably be made to
deep plOwing, is the greater strength Of team
that will be requisite to perform it, ard con-
sequently an additional expense. This be-
heye, on consideration, will also be found to
be without foundation. True it is that the
hrst plowiDg requires more strength of team;
bat then it is equally as true, that if the pillow
= good one for the purpose, almost double
the quantity will be performed in u given
Tine. The four acres above mentioned was
plOWed by four horses in less than two days;
the burrows averaged seventeen inches in
width. And as ground plOwed in this way
will not acquire the same degree of frmness
Tor many years afterwards, although it should
remsin untitled, it will be found that three
horses TO plOw will be sufficient for after
plOwings, even for a grass-lsy, and that two
such teams will perform much in day as
six horses in three plOws of the semmon kind
and Of the common description Of blowing.
Here then is plowman saved. In addition
80 this, il is to be remembered, that for rea-
\ sons before given, land cultivated in this way
will be preserved in good tilth with much
lever plOwings than in the other mode.
Thus, let the subject be considered on what.
. ever ground We choose to take il up, either
With respect to the preservation of the soil
ths quantity Of produce, or the quantum Of
labor bestowed, the advantage is greatly on
A lie side Of fha rpafhn1 pronnsad