Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1868-10-30
ThOrOu h Draining and Deep CNlture.

The fact is patent to the most superficial
observation that the total sum of the vast
production of our agriculture is the yield
of an average depth of cultivation of soil
not exceeding six inches-compsratively
mere film on the earth's surface. All the
inorganic matter needed by plants, and all
other elements of their nutrition and full
development that come from the earth,
must be, supplied within this limit, while
all the soil below this depth is unemployed
and inert. The roots of the grains and
grasses do not ordinarily extend much be-
low the depth cultivated and the average
of this in our country is insufficient either
for protection against drought, for adequate
returns for the labor of cultivation, or for
full supplies of farm products for national
consumption. We may not be able to cal
culate the precise amount of increase in
production due to an additional inch in
depth of cultivation, but experiments have
shown that in many soils it bares, relative
ly, near proportion to the increase in
depth of culture; so that, where the soil is
now worked to six inches, an inch greater
depth of cultivation would give nearly one
sixth more production. The agricultural
production of 1867, of those articles which
would be influenced by depth of culture,
has a total value of at least 81 $4,000 900,
Now, an increase of even one tenth of this
amount by an additional inch of culture
would add $3.50, 100000 to the value of the
annual agricultural productions of the
country. ....
An erroneous impression exists relative
to the depth to which the roots of the
cereals and clovers, as well as many other
plants, will descend in an aerated and
healthy soil. In ravines that have been
1,1 .-c. Al
mould is of suitable texture and condition,
carrots and parsnips are often found of o
length of three feet or more; clover roots
from three to four feet and instances have
been given of still greater length of the
roots of wheat and oats. With the preva-
lent mode of culture, in very compact Soils
wheat roots are so near the surface as to
be thrown out by the mechanical displace-
ment of freezing and thawing, and, if not
utterly destroyed, they struggle fruitlessly
to pierce the subsoil, packed, perhaps, by
the tread OF cattle for century, and final
ly yield to the blasting power of an early
drought, blighted, shrivelled, light, worth
less for seed, and of little value for bread.
The drill, planting the seed firmly in the
earth instead of scattering it on the sur
face, already saves half the winter-killing
in the fields where it is used and deep cul-
ture, with proper drainage, would procure
exemption from most of the remaining
liabilities, and ordinarily, from all dangers
of loss from drought The advantage of ad-
ditional depth of pulverlzatlon, therefore,
would often be far greater than the proper
tionate increase of depth, and the profit
Of the improvement would be increased
in corresponding ratio. In this country
the average yield per acre of one of the
80
OF shallow cultivation, has been gradually
lessened, until at the present time 1t does
not exceed ~ bushels per acre, while Eng
and, with her deep tillage and rotation
system, has raised her average to 2S bush
els. Estimating our wheat area at 1S,O00,-
| 600 of acres, and allowing an increase of 16
bushels per acre under a system of thorough
and judicious cultivation, the increased
production would amount TO 2SS,000, 900
bushels and wheat is but one of the staples
! to be benefited by such improvement.
Deep cultivation is prime necessity of
root.culture, which forms the basis of Eng
lish agriculture, and enables the English
farmer to pay annual rents equivalent to
the fee.simple value of our farms. The
growing of these green crops" results in
Q more thorough admixture of the food pro
| ducing elements Of the soil and its prompt
permeaton by water and the gases, which
are so necessary to plant-growth. France
following in our footsteps, or we in hers,
in at least one particular-the want of a
proper rotation system-hss reduced the
average yield Of wheat to Is bushels. The
single fact that, while England has two
acres in "green crops" for every acre IN
wheat, France has three acres in wheat for
every acre In green crops, and that with
us roots are scarcely raised as a farm crop,
explains the cause Of the great dis.
crepaney in the yield of that valuable
cereal in these countries--Report Of C5m-
missioner Of Agriculture.