American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1864-02-10

of the sun-and the hills on either
side of the vally, running east and
west, thus warding off the winds, and
giving direct chance to the sun-all
these things have their effect in pro-
ducing in this valley the corn that is
raised. But corn is raised success
fully, in the same manner, on the
hills, and throughout this section gem
orally, varying in profit with the ma
ture of the soil.
The two successful crops of the
valley are corn and hops, making for
tunes for their proprietors and they
are usually grown on the same farm,
and generally in addition to dairy.
The three are usually found together,
the dairy enriching the soil (by pas
turage and the manure that is made,
the cornstalks supplying fodder, and
the corn ground preparing the land
for seeding, which generally here
follows the next crop, either of oats
wheat or barley, the latter two being
preferable for seeding.
The principle of planting corn on
green sward is held to be this: the
mellow soil on top is favorable to til
lage, and free Gf plowed deep) from
insects, as we have said; and by the
time the roots penetrate well the
sward-which occurs at the commence
ment of the hot weather in July
decomposition will have set in, which
warns the under soil as we'll as en-
riches it, and thus drives on the corn.
This is the principle held here. At any
rate, corn is a success on greensward,
turned down in the spring. Now and
then fall plowing has good effect, or has
had, as little as is done now. But it seems
the sod turned down gets soaked during
the winter, unless the drainage is perfect,
which is far from being the case generally.
This, by the time the corn is planted,
seems so sour, and if turned up with the
plow is often found to be wet. Especially
late (fallD plowing seems to have this eff
feet, probably by packing the soft wet soil
In clay we know this is the case, even if
the soil is but slightly mixed with it. One
of the greatest injuries to soil, whether
plowed in the fall or the spring, is to plow
it wet. This is the case with our soil, as
| have often enough witnessed. l find
there is little difference whether the soil
is black or yellow, rich or otherwise,
though gravel or sand is less Objectionable
than clay. Last fall our neighbor Hall
ploughed his garden late and very wet
Though the soil is very rich, black, mel
low SOIL highly productive, we prophecied
failure the next season and it turned
out, eminently. / have lost entire crops
in this way, one, barley crop on good
ground, by narrowing it when wet, and
but once at that. The ground was bare,
and finely harsh, almost a miracle to look
at in its consequences.
On the whole, then, spring plowing for
corn on sod, is preferred, and is always a
success if the corn is we'll taken care of,
in this locality, especially in the valley.
And why not so in other places =? We
think Mr.. Smith has his upon the right
management, and it is his second year of
farming he is a young farmer, and reads
and thinks, and labors-labors himself
] should have mentioned that no ma
nure is used, the sod being considered
sufficient manure. This is applied on
grass lands as a top-dressing here with the
best of success--though none that l am
aware of, and I am pretty certain in this,
was ever used on Mr.. Smiths meadow,
the soil being rich and always yielding
we'll without manure.