Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-06-28
Summer FaIIowIng.

Michigan correspondents OF the
Western Rural gives his experience as
TO the best time for breaking up the soil,
and its Subsequent management, prepare
tory 20 wheat crop lie says:
When was cultiyating somewhat te-
nacious clay soil, in Seneca county, n. Y,
my best crops Of wheat were generally
raised on lands that had been thoroughly
summer-fallowed. Sound theory, as we'll
as nay own experience and practice, have
convinced me that, in cultiysting the sandy
hams of Michigan. protracted summer
fallOws are decidedly hurtiul. Now, the
question arises--why this difference? Al
though carefully conducted soil analyses
may determine with unerring certainty the
per centage Of the different fertilizing ee-
Inenls contained 10 our soils, these elements
must not only be present in sufficient
quantity, but also ia an available form, TO
be assimilated by the growing crops.
Ii is q we'll established fact that stiff, te-
uacious clay soils, which have not been i'm
poverished by an exhausting system Of
cropping, usually contain large amount Of
undeeomposed organic matter, and insolu.
bic inorganic substances, which must. first
be decomposed and dissolved before they
Can be taken up by the roots Of the grow
ing plants. There is no better way of eff.
fecting this change than by well con
Quoted summer-falloE. In bringing the
soil by repeated cultiyations in direct con-
tact with atmospheric ais, carbonie acid is
termed by the union OF the oxygen Of the
atmosphere with the carbon Of the soil,
which, in conjunction with water, renders
L. l.,
the soil.
The proper time for commencing a fall
low on a clay soil depends entirely upon
circumstances. IL noxious weeds are TO be
destroyed, or, the land having lain long to
grass, q tough sward Is TO be decOmposed,
il is highly important that the breaking up
should commence early in the season.
When, however, the ground Is clean and
covered with clover, IL may be moderately
pastured, or IL in high order, moved and
turned under the latter part Of June; the
after cultivation, &c properly performed,
viii put il in complete order for wheat.
1 have no doubt that the crop and soil
are often injured by repeated plowings du-
ring the season of following. When the
ground is free from stumps and stones, en-
abling the first blowing to be properly done,
and harrow should be the only implement
used in the after cultivation. The unfer-
mcnted vegetable and animal matter turned
under by the pillow, should not again be
brought up 90 the surface until thoroughly
decomposed and perfectly rotten, 10 be dis
sipated and lost when fermentation takes
place ON the surface have no hesitation
in saying that, when the cultiyator, or gang
pillow and harrow are thus used instead of
the pillow, not only is the labor and expense
Of preparing the ground for a wheat crop
materially lessened, but the decomposing
organic matter in the soil is retained by
the absorption in the suriace soil of the
fertilizing gases that rise during lermenta-
ton and decay. IL is hardly necessary to
say, that in culliysting those fallows, the
work should be 50 efectually done as en-
tirely 10 destroy all grasses and weeds,
taking care not 10 disturb the sod.
A few words on the culture Of our sandy
loans preparatory TO q wheat crop These
porous, friAble soils, entirely differing in
character from the tenacious clay soils We
have been considering, their free admission
of the atmospheric air and heat causes the
rapid fermentation Of the vegetable and
animal matter that has been buried by the
pillow. and the consequent solution of their
mineral substances. Their powers Of alb
sorplion AZ the same time being low, in
consequence Of the limited supply Of Elu-
nina and organic matter, a large proper
ton Of the lertilizing gases which arise 10
the surface when these soils are subjected 10
a protracted naked summer iallow, instead
Of being absorbed aud retained in the sur
face soil, escape and are lost. 4 can hardly
conceive how these soils can be more rapid
" deprived Of their organic matter than
by repeated CIVILIZATIONS during the beat Of
the SUMMER months.
Nov, X will readily Be seen that the
sauis amount Of cultivation bestowed upon
these loose sandy loans their porous, fra
able condition causing the rapid decompo-
sit'on Of both Organic and inorganic mat
ter that Is expended upon stia, tenacious
clay soii, 70 ~ Il for a wheat crop, IL a
positive INJURY, instead Of a benefit Hence
az -, that gooc clover sod, carefully turned
the lore part OF August, having been mod
eTftely pastured the early part of the sea-
SOW h Justly regarded a. snrer and better
pntparation for wheat on 4 sandv aoiI
properly eaitiuated, than a more protrac,sd
snnamer. failow.
wheH the blowing i done at this season
Of The year, IN preparing The groand fos
wheat the roller beccnea al almost inlis.
peDsahle supplement. By pressing dewn
the sod, II tie land il properly J,ssouesi. all
ysgeiaticE turned under Is kept below the