Nebraska advertiser. [volume] (Brownville, Nemaha County, N.T. [Neb.]) 1856-1882, 1862-09-27
The BenefIt of TrenchIng.

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So much has already been written on
the advantages resulting from trenching,
deep blowing, and other cognate means
of raising and bringing into action the
latent powers of the subsoil, that it would
be superfuous to say a single word in
commentator of the practice. We are
aware, however, that there is still con-
siderable difference of opinion regarding
the ultimate benefit derived from the
practice on different kinds of soil. In.
this, as In other matters, the intelligent
agriculturisl will be guided more by the
peculiar circumstances OF the soil than
by any general rules. 1t is only by
studying carefully the nature of the
ground he Cultives, and its peculiar wants,
that he will be able 10 turn its capa bill
ties to the best advantage. When this is
intelli3ently done. there will be little fear
of a successful result. As illustrative of
the value of deep lrenching, we shall
briefly state our experience of trenehing
a plot Of ground about quarter of an
acre in extent.
For number of years. potatoes had
been grown successyely upon the plot,
and, as it had got little or no manure,
the ground was much worn out. Last
year we endeavored 10 take another
crop of potatoes off it, but with very in
different success. Owing to particular
circumstances, the crop was somewhat
late in being Put into the ground and
when it came away the stems had from
the first that exhausted "spirly" appear
ance which betokened a weakly plant,
and a miserable return. The result was
as had been anticipated. The crop was
lit;le better than a failure, two and three,
and not unfrequently only one being
found at a shaw. The potatoes them
selves were watery and waxy, and quite
unfit for human food. We mentioned
the circumstances TO a high agricultural
authority, and he Immediately suggested
deep trenChing. Acting upon the advice
the plot was tIenched in the end of the
season to depth Of about two feet. 1t
was then allowed to lie In a rough state
throughout the winter until the usual
season for cropping. when it was manured
with dung from the pig-stye, mixed with
the refuse of the dust.bin, and again
planted with potatoes. The result Of the
experiment has been such as to be scarce
ly credible. As soon as the potatoes
began 10 appear above ground this year,
it was evident that the labor had not teen
in vain. They come away with a
strpdgth of stem and a bread ID of leaf
quite remarkable.
Notwithstanding the some what back
ward season, they grew apace, and have
continued growing until some of them
are at the present time three feet in
height, and the average about two feet
aid halls. The stems, or rather some
of the principal branChes-as they have
more the appearance of a bush than a
potato shaw-are two inches and 4 half
in diameter. Of course, it is impossible
to say what the yield may be, but when
we see a good shaw we expect some
thing good at the root.
1t may be supposed that greater
stresss has been laid upon the trenChing
than is its due, and that the manure had
as much to do in the production of the
extraordinary crop as the turning up of
the subsoIl. This, however, is not the
case, and the proof is to be found in the
ground itself. The borders were not
trenched, and they got the same quantity
of manure as the plot, but the size of the
shaws are not more than one.third of
those of the middle plot. Another pecu-
liarity may be mentioned as tending still
further to show the benefit of deep
trenching. One side of the ground was
not so deeply trenched as the other, and
towards thaI side the size and exhuber-
ance of the sbaws gradually decrease. =
As one fact is worth a whole CARLOAD of
theories. however specious, we leave the
above simple statement to speak for
itself, without adding a single word of
comment, feeling that it will commend
commend itself TO all whom it may con.
cerh.-ScotiSh Farmer.