The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1862-09-26
Volume rs.

blowing, but wherecyer there is soil thai
has a tendency to bake and clod. exposure tC
the frost renders its subsequent tillagc much
easier, and exerts singularly beneficial in
fluence upon the future crop. The action oI
the frOs, also upon such soil is peculiarly val
uablC in one other respect-it exerts potent
influence in rendering soluble the inorganic
constituents contained in the soil, and set
ting them free for immediate use in the
spring. All clay soils, says Mr.. Smith oI
Lois Weldon, whose experiments in spad,
husbandry, and in growing heavy crops oil
wheat upon the same soil for many success
i've seasons without the use Of manure, have
made his name known to the generality Of
farmcrs-"All clay soils, he remarks, "con'
tain the elements Of wheat, and perfect tilth
dispenses with the need of fmanuring" This
is pushing theory little too far. 1t was
propoundcd years ago by Jethro Tall, but
can never be excepted in its entirety. The
reason is obvious. Tho richest soil contains
only certain positive amount OF plant food,
which must be exhausted eventually by con.
slant cropping il portion of those consti'
,uents are taken from tho soil annually and
the loss is never replaced by IOanures and fer
tilizers, but il is nevertheless true that an i'm
mcnsc amount Of plant food lies dormant,
which in heavy clay soils can only be render
ell soluble and therefore actively useful by
thorough disntergation, whether that work
bc effected by SPADE, hushandry or by action
Of the frost. English experience has come
to the conclusion Of late years that natures
agency in this respect is superior to the more
costly agricultural implements, and that on
such soils NJ those to which We refer. the
most laborious aud artificial means of rcduc-
ing them to a fine tilth. and thus rendering
their mineral constituents available, do not
compare with the action OF frost upon q
rough exposed surface. The London Agri.
cultural Journal in discussing this question
declares that after all the expensive applian-
ccs which science has invented or industry
hts brought into play-"lt has at length
been found that it Is better, cheaper aud more
perfect too. 10 leave this last refinement OF
the tillage process to the weather-which
does it without cost. The land is now torn
up-smashed up--or moved and thrown
about in large clods and Jumps. This is best
done in dry autumn weather, and thus it lies
until the spring. The rains and irosts OF
winter following dry SeptembcSand Octo-
ber penetrate and thrust asunder the harden
cd masses of the soil. No two PARTICLES shall
remain adhoring to each other il you only
give room and opportunity to the best dlsin-
tcsrator in the world. No rasp, or saw, or
mill will reduce the indurated land to soft
and wholesome tilth so perfectly as win
tcr's frost" All that is needed is to provide
an outlet for the water, when ii comes by er-
acient drainage, and that drainage is accom-.
plished when the land is deeply plowed, and
the burrows are thrown on edge just tapping
each other, and presenting, as they rest on
the subsoil, channel through which the
surplus water may PASS oa.-BGiiimore Ru-
raj Register.