The Tarboro' southerner., 1868-04-30
AanIGlll TuRAl..
Deep FIeWins-SaGc and Unsafe


''Do not, Mr.. Editor, advise deep
plowing-many a crop has been ruined
by it. by deep plowing a farmer
Doubles the size Of his farm" You
have another farm lying six inches un-
der the enc you now till; only run the
plow down into it." We have no hest
tation in advising the gradual deepen
ing of all soil that are retentive Of ma
nurc, or that are inherently fertile, and
the fertility of which can be depended
upon or kept up for number ofyears.
Thin soils, and those which do not hold
manure, and are adapted chiefly to
grain and grasses, need shallow culture,
or such a system as will radically
change their character, such as turning
under crop after crop of green manure
until the soil is full of vegetable mat
ter Claycy loans devoid Of vegetable
mold below few inches, are often un>
derlaid by what is known in the vul-
gate as yullcr dirt. 1t is dangerous to
take up more than an inch or so Of this
untitled soil at each plowing, as it often
contains salts of iron or other sub
stances deleterious to vegetation. In
general, however, even if a crop be in
jured, in the long run the deeper plow-
ing, accompanied by good tillage, will
be great benefit. The greater por-
ton Of the Western prairies are Of
character to be benefited by deep plow-
ing. They even ought to be broken
up by putting the plow down as deep
as possible. We have held on to
letter from Missouri correspondent,
writing from near Hannibal, for some
months, in order that, presenting it
just at plowing time, it would do the
greater good. He writes:
''In this section Of our country we
have passed through severe dought.
Our crops Of oats, wheat, aud hay, are
the best we have harvested for many
years, but our corn and potatoes have
come nearer to being complete fail.
ure than they have done here within
the memory of the Oldest settler. This
season has not been without its lessons.
Some farmers have learned a good les
son, and will profit by their experience,
but more viii not even learn at the
FOOLS dear school, but follow in the
same old way, and fail as before. Such
seasons as the past show who are the
good farmers. In looking around we
saw here and there, few and far be-
tween, in the midst Of general failure,
good crop of corn. Ask the reason.
why, sir, We pioIccd for our corn; 10
surface scratching, but with three good
horses abreast, and the plow in up to
the beam. We turned the weed seeds
under so deep they gave us no trouble,
and this deep bee OF loose soil has re
tanned moisture enough to mature a
good crop without rain; that is the Sc
cret' What is the cause Of the diff
erence between different parts Of chat
field Of wheat over there 1T is all
in the plewing, sir. Twelve acres of
that field were plowed in the common
way, and six acres, joining in the same
field, were plowed as deep as three
horses could plow it. As a result the
six acres yielded as much as the twelve
acres did, lacking three bushels 1t
is deep pIowing We need to insure our
crops against drought. We have IN
abundance of rain in winter and spring
to last our crops all summer, If We La!
some way Of saving it; and the best
way now is by deep blowing and sub
soiIing. g."-1nter. iyriculkjWi&t.