Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1866-05-31
A GRICU 1t U R E.

DEEP vs SHALLOW observation-disclosures In ag- |
ricultra pursuits are frequently misled by errors
romulgsted in agricultural journals, because |
writer's do not qualify their Recommendation to |
cult circumstances. Some writer's will recon-
mend deep blowing for all kinds of crops; and
sometimes the results Of deep blowing are so
eminently satisfactory, that some persons in
the exubsrance of their enthusissm, do not
hesitate to recommend blowing deep, at any
and all seas ons Of the year, and all kinds OF
ground. Every farmer ought to know when to
pillow deep, and when not to pillow deep, as deep
| blowing will sometimes ruin the productive
ness OF some kiuds Of gronud, for several years
while other kinds will be rendered two-fold
more productive, by driving tho pillow one foot
| or more deep. A committee of the Illinois
Stale Agricultural Society reported that in
their official examination of farms they had
taken particular pains to inquire diligently
into the different modes of cultivation and 10
note the results; and 10 every Instance they
found that where farmers we're getting the
most abundant crops they plowed the ground
deep, and the poorest crops were found on
land that wac plowed shallow, They also found
that wherever farmers we're accustomed to plow
deep, "bard times" did not to affect them.
| Therefore they came to the SAGE conclusion
i, that the hard times lay within four inches OF
y the snrtace of the ground; "aod all who pillow
: eight to ten inches, will soon root them out. ;
This Is sound aud orthodox instruction for
p such kipds of soil as may be fouod in that H.
u cality; but for land 10 many portions OF Oh't
. New-York, Canada, asd some other localities
1t 10 decidedly erroneous. If farmers on som'
Of the slopes of our lake, were to pillow man.
= OF their fields as deep as Is stated by that com
u uit,ee, they would not be able to raise a quar-
~ ter ofa crop for several successive years. Wher
a the soil 10 heavy and the sub soil compac
~ there is sometimes buttwo or three inches c
e' mold or fertile soil above the barren subsot
Therefore, II all this mold, which is so EN-
nently essential 10 the growth OF plants Of a
~ kinds, be turned several inches below the SUI
:. face and stratum of cold unfertile heavy ella
~ be brought to the surface, several years
a. blowing, narrowing asd manuting will be re
u quired before the ground will be in a suitab
\. condition to produce any kind OF crops. 81
70 ginners should have correct understanding
the quality and kind Of soils, aad never be
"a doubt whether deep blowing Is going to
beneficial or Injurious before trying the expe
iment. Ifa soil is an alluvial deposit restiI
s' on a heavy sub-soil, it may be beneficial
~ bring up u small quantity ofthe heavy groui
'u' by Fall blowing, outthis barren earth sbou
-. not be- turned up in the Spring of the yea
~ In most instances the prairie soils Of our Wei
-, ern STATES are deeper than an ordinary pie
w can be be driven. The deeper such grou
~. can be piowed the more productive 1t will
~ for grass, roots, or for raising any kind
grain. The same thing holds true in plowi
soils composed for the most part, OF de
black muck. There is'-no -@-nger of plowi
o such ground too deep. But in order to iucre'
gu, the depth of the seed-bed, on heavy grou
=" where there is only a few inches of fertile m
se. at the surface, let this thin layer OF good Z
tu1 be plowed with an ordinary plew and let
o.a' sub soil pillow break up the barren soil hene
Pr Pr leaving the best ground at the surface
w some instances the soil 10 q sandy loan s
." eral feet in depth. Such ground may
~, plowed deepst almost any season ofthe ye
Some times a light mucky soil r'sts on
~, tile clay loan, which is more productive t
VA, the soil at the surface. Flowing snca gro
,, we deep will frequently increase the quantit
"un grass or grain more than liberal dressin,
= 20 barn-yard anure Let tho thought be
III nv erai ed that tue best and finest soil should
- :, kept on the sartace.-[N. Y. Times.