The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1862-02-21
shallow PIowiug.

abundant proofs Of the great disad
vsntages OF the practice Of shallow
plowing, to both summer and win
tor crops, if wo we're 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
n tenant, the plowiug from three to
four inches deep hollow extended
across part of the field, IN direc
ton nearly east and west the side
exposed to the north to'erably go ,d
the south exposure very rich /; IA
might be expected. the wheat on the
strong, ct soil made :he most prom.
ising appearance in the fall. and al
go for some time in the spring: in
the early part OF which clover seed
was sovn on the whole, which came
up well q drou h came ON at, in
the spring; the south exposure dry.
ing first, The wheat soo1 sho wing
the effects of it; and the drouth con
tinuing a considerable part entirely
persisted the north exposure also
suffered, but being more shielded
from the action OF tho hot sun, was
not so eff ctually driei. At bar'est
twas much the best whea', notwith
standing the superior richness OF the
soil on the other side. A still great.
er difference appearel in the young
clover; on the south hill side it was
almost entirely killed, on the other
a very little injured.
| have had some experience Of the
beneficial ELECTS 10 be derived from
deep plowing; bnt the obstructioLs
in most OF my fields (particularly
large stones just below the suriace)
have prevented my adopting the
practice so fully as could wish yet
the success that has always attended
my experiments, in conjunction with
my observations Of others, has been
conclusive evidence to my mind.
In the year l795, took possession
Of my present farm, and had a field
plowed for wheat, which had been
thought Tor 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 before h ,rvest that think would
not yield two bushels to the acre. 1t
was plowed early in the spring,
about eight inches deep, and repeat
ed with harrowings, at prop'r inter
vals, several times during the sum,
mer it was sown about the last OF
The ninth mouth. The soil being
weak. the growth in the fall was
slow, as we'll as in tn. spring, We,
regular, the color always good AMI
no appearance OF suffering. either
from drouth or wet; at harvest the
straw was not tall, nor thick on the
ground, but the heads large and well
filled ; tho product between sixteen
and seventeen bushels to the acre,
except a part OF the field, sown with
kind OF wheat was not before &C.
quainted with, which was TOO thin.
in consequence Of short allowance
OF seed. | observed the state of the
soil, from time 10 time, until harvest
and tnnDd that even then it was
open and in good til,h, except a
crust OF two or three inches next the
surface.
In the spring of 1906, with Il large
plow and four horses, | broke M
part OF a field | measured the
blowing frequently, and found it il
many places eleven inches deep
and nowhere less than seven =,
that the average was 1t least nine
This piece contained about iou,
acres, on = gentle declivity; the
surface too much exhausted to pay
for cultivating any crop the common
way; this blowing brought 20 tht
surface about five inches Of eartt
that had never before been exposed
which was principally clay /; at thu
upper edge of piece of bright yel
low, which became gradually pale
further down, and OF a blush sp
pearance near the lower side.
, After several STRINGS, it WAS sowI
with buck wheat the same year: th'
, crop tOlerablc; after buck " heat cam
off, the ground was plowed an
sowed in rye; in the eleventh month
very little Of which came up, owing
rs suppose, to it's being TO late pu
t in the ground or the seed not good
= 1t remained without further tillag
/ until last year (lsOO) when it wa
. again sown in buckwheat, whic
q grew as large as generally to fall
p Before it was plowed in the spring
@ | took several Of my friends to sc
the diiitrenc, in the appearance ,
this piece and the ground dj1ininl
that had lain the same length OF tim
out Of tillage; it was descernable
q a furrow; the deep. .plowcd piece al
e peared OF a fine open texture. an
d dark color, thick set with white cl'
g yer; the adjoining ground. compa
d and hard, OF pale ash color, bea
h ing scarcely grain of any 9TH
e kind of grass than that common
II old fields, known by the name
!. poverty. grass. IN short, one Ia
,e the appearance OF an exhausted o
field, and the ether OF land late
r. manurcd. Those who expressed
" sentiment on tho subject, were
% opinion that thosa who did not kno
4 4.