The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1867-04-18
Modes Of

Amoug the selections in the last number
of your interesting journal is a discussion
in the Western Rural about the best mode
of blowing, in which the Writer describes
trench blowing, deep %tlllers, or common
blowing with subsoil attachments. He
denounces the theory that the subsoil is as
productive as the surface soil, after the
subsoii has been turned to the top and ex-
posed to the elements, or that it is even
more productive than surface soil which
has been cultivated for a long time, adding
that practical experiments made every
year prove, beyond a doubt, hat even old
worn out surface-soi' Gas it is called) is tar
more productive than subsoil ON which
he builds this conclusion" the subsoil
not being adapted to the growth Of yegeta-
bles, should be left where it was "placed
by the Creator, and the surface soil Oh the
top where it belongs"
| may not apprehend what the writer
means by subsoil; he may allude only to
the soil which is reached by a subsoil pillow
with a thin narrow coulter, penetrating
some fifteen or eighteen inches, which is
ordinarily designed to admit air and pro
mote moisture to the roots of plants; bu'
this operation brings no soil to the surface
anG, therefore, does not contend with the
surface soil. If, however, the writel
means by subsoil the portion of eartl
which is brought to the surface by wba
he calls trenching, that is, n pillow fol
lowed by another in the same track, thu!
bringing the undersoil to the top, l dem
the soundness of his conclusion that it il
not adapted to the growth of vegetation, i
any reliance can be placed on the expert
encc of scientific and practical farmers il
Kentucky.
The surface soil in forest lands Is, in it,
original state, the deposit of ages, and rare
ly exceeds a foot in depth. This necessa
riIy deteiorotes by cultivation, and the
more rapidly as the crop may be the more
e~xhausting. fthe subsoil below this orig
al surface consists solely Of sand or stiff
clay, approaching to slate the theor.
of the writer in the Western Rural nigh
be correct; but wherever the soil below thu
surface rests upon q friable clay, and es
p~ecially if that clay is founded on lime
stone, the soil brought to the surface b,
deep blowing and exposed to the action o
winter, has a fertility equal to the origin
al soil Of the top.
1t is this transcendant quality which, il
the opinion of Professor Owen, of the Ge
illogical Survey, makes the limestone land
of Franklin county, in this State, thougl
upon an average only second rate land, su
perior to h erichest lands Of Illinois, after
being cultivated six or seven years. The
discovery of the fact that friable clay soil
even at six feet depth, when brought tc
the surface and to the action Of frost, be-
comes as rich as the virgin soil, was made
known by the Shakers in Logan county
fifty years ago in digging the foundation
of their tasty buildings. This clay wa.
applied as manure to their gardens and it.
powerful efficacy established in a great in
crease Of vegetables.
This system of deco blowing enables The
farmer to turn over the sod of grass ant
cover it with a foot of friable clay, b,
which it is never heard Of again except il
the aid it gives to the crop in a dry season
and acting as q manure for a subsequen
crop. This suspicious result can scarcel
be perfected by the worn out sol
On the surface, and. if true, woul
disarm the clay Limestone re
gion Of Kentucky of much of its glory an
prominence, and would entitle the earl
settlers of various districts of the State t
superior wisdom in destroying their lands
that is on the surface by shallow plowin;
and seeking a new country for their fami
Cor. Iaduarial and Comme, ciai Ga
zeHe.