Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1863-07-03
Deep Flowing.

There was a time when the culti-
waited soil was merely scraped, when
the ponderous plow, drawn by four
horses laid bare the earth but few
inches below the surface. But the
memory of the "oldest inhabitants"
hardly goes back to that easy-going
time, and now manufacturers sue
cesssullv out do each other in the
production of impliments by which
the soil is thoroughly and deeply
pulverised. That deep plowing is
beneficial to the soil is admitted by
every intelligent farmer, but the par
ticular soil most benefited by it, and
the proper time for the perform
ance of the opperation are subjects
on which a variety of opinions pre-
vail. Stiff clay soils are the most
benefited by deep blowing, and the
results are still more satisfactory
when the subsoil is of the same ma
ture as the supersoil. fthe farmer
cannot extend the superficial area
OF his farm, he can, at least, add the
cubical contents of it's productive
portion. By thoroughly breaking
up the subsoil it is exposed to the
action of the air, the mineral food of
the plants becomes liberated from
its latent state and made available,
and the sourness, which is a frequent
property Of the subioil, disappears.
In the working of stiff soils, the la
Dor expended in pulverizing viii be
highly productive; but care should
be taken that the quantity of sub
soil brought to the surface is not
greater than winters frost is suf.
fcient thoroughly to disintegrate.--
If the land has been recently drain
ed, and the underlying soil exhibits
a blush tint, not more than one
and half inches should be turned
over on the surface soil. IF too
large a quantity of the infertil sub
soil be brought up, the fertility of
the land may be seriously injured
for several years. The remedy in
this case is the repeated and care
full tillage of the surface soil, and the
abundant application of manure. IF
however, the subsoil be merely bro
ken up by the subsoil plow or the
spade, and not brought in quantity
to the surface, the pulverization may
be advantageously made tc extend
to a much greater depth, and small
portions may from time to time be
brought to the surface in the course
of tillage.
Deep cultivation is inapplicable in
the case of sandy soils, except when
they rest upon a stiff subsoil, which
however, is rarely the case. if
there be simply thin strata of stiff
clay beneath the sandy soil, it should
not always be broken through, as it
may prevent the moisture passing
away too rapidly as drainage. When
friable soil rests on chalk, gravel, or
sand, deep plowing should not be
performed; neither is the operation
desirable, but the reverse Z is the
case, on any kind of highly-manured
land. We have often known the
manure to be plowed in so deeply
that its decomposition took place
only after the lapse of several years.
Manure to be sufficient must be as
close to the surface as possible, in
order that atmospheric influences
may decompose it speedily, and that
the nourishment afforded by it may
be within easy access of the root
let's of the plants, The proper sea-
son for deep blowing is in the au-
tumn, in order that the soil may be
exposed to the winters frosts and
potent agents by which
the dormant elements of fertility
are set free and made available for
the summers crop.-Agl icultW'ot
ReViel0,