The Union flag. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1865-187?, 1868-03-27


level across, bnt inclining 10 tho hill
side above, IL laying off the rows,
run o deep coulter furrow three feet
from each trench and parallel to them.
Continuing these parallel fnrrows nj,
terhately with the trenches, I anish
in the centre Of the plat, thus forming
all the short rows near this point,
which is a matter Of great Importance
and the neglect of which has done
much to bring the system Of hillside
trenches into disrepute and disuse.
l Alittle reflection will convince any
one that If the short rows be made
near the trenches they must GiScharge
their water, and along With IL their
loose dirt into them, and thus, in q
short time these last will be filed up
at various pointsy where the wateF
will cause breaks, and go conrsing
down hill with ever Increasing force,
and making along its track the much
| dreaded and most upwelcome gulliese
In hauling off the corn the Wagons
should neveGgbe driven across the beds
but along tho burrows to the end,
where, turning, they should be di;
Tected between other tows, aDdtso on
as before. By observing these direc,
tions the beds will remain unbrokeh,
except at the ends, and so, continue
to serve as barriers to the passage of
water down hill. A neglect of these
simple precautions, the Importance Of
which must DO apparent to any think
ing mind, has done much 10 injuro our
lands, BY causing their owners TO att
tribute 10 the use that which is solely
due to the abuse Ofthe system Of hill
side trenches, and so 60 discard an in.
valuable preventive of " washing
IL is Of very great Importance that
this "leveling operation" be accurate-
| ly done; and remembering the old
maxim, q If you have a thing well
donoP ETC., always do it myself /
nse rafter level, Of twelve feet span,
and having adjusted the plumb COR
reetly, / cut .from one to two inches
off one Of the feet, according to tho
formation of the surface to be laid off
This will give the proper fall to the
trenches, which should be kept free
from grass and dirt, not only whilst
the crop is under cultivation, bpt DUR
ing tbs winter. I have deemed it
proper to offer this defense of that
which, for the last forty five years,
has rendered me good service, and
which has been by most others with
out just cause, and with as little
thought, / imagine, as was given to
its adoption, | commence preparing
my land Immediately after housing
the preceding crop, by throwing 1t
into beds with o double Dagou plow,
commencing on each side Of the coul-
ter burrows already laid of, following
each turn with a deep coulter furrOw.
This provides against the effects Of a
drought by affo,ding deep bed for
absorbing and retaining the rains Of
the succeeding summer, whilst IL pro-
tects tho land against washing, that
great destroyer Of our farms. 57
prefer bedding even highland, for
two reasons: First, it allows the win
terra frost to permeate the land more
thoroughly than when it is left fiat
and secondly, becadse the water fur
rowsthts, formed afford a free pas.
sage for the surplus water that falls
in winter. and the land is thereby left
in a much better condition for cultiva'
ton in the spring. Esals
Iknow that many persons objeC; to
this mode of cultivation because they
think that corn dropped upon q ridge
must suffer more from drought than
II il wero planted on a hat surface
This is unquestionably true bat only |
n slight reflection wilfteaeh them that
they arc no. driven to the necessity of
planting on ridge because the land
was thrown into beds. They may,
as do, plant tt the S5dtst farTOl0s and
on tie clay About two weeks be-
fore planting, say from the 10th TO
the goth of March, 1 begin 30 reverse
the beds wilhthe plow by which they
had been formed; and if the ground |
be at all rough or cloddyp l run two
burrows of a thtsetooth coulter bar,
row oyer each bed, This puts the
ground in ,frst,rate order, and PAYS
better than any two, blowing after
On reversing. tho beds
care should be taken to leave a ridge
Of one or two inches of the soil I'M
turned, The dirt thus LEFT viii, when
Incorporated with tho clay, by the
process presently TO be described,
hom a suitable matrix or bed for the
reception Of the seed. The roots of
corn branching OF laterally and never
penetrating the earth below where
the grain Is deposited, (thete being
no "a .. .root,) IL Is all important that
the land DO broken very deep and
planted very low in the ground, other
wih6 Il viii wither and 6re on the
approach Of droughts. II Is impossi-
BE 10 break the land too deep or 70
bulverizs IL tDo well, although It
may be and often is turned too deep.
Tho turning plow should run just deep
enough 10 penetrate a little distance
= = N -. Il |