New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-12-12
AGRICULTURE.
DEEP PLOWING.

AMERICAN INSTITUTE FARMERS CLUB, DEC
1, 1868.
Many controversies result from imperfect defini-
tions The same words. the same phrases, convey
aiaeront ideas to the rival disputants Let me be-
Gin. then. by making myself clearly understood. To
saye time, will define by negatiOn or exclusiOnas
follows:
All soils do not require plotting 70 @e same depth
because
IA large portion Of the earth's surface should
never be plOwed at all. No wet lands should be
plOwod until thoroughly, permanently drained ;
blowing them while still wet. certain to become so
after rains, is throwing labor away. very large
area consisting of swamps marshes, boys fens, sea,
lake. river and brook margins intervaeS frequently
submerged or sodden. should never be powed until
drained or embarked ,,.
H. Then great proportion Of the rocky hilisdes
or crests which consist mainly of rocks thlnly COW
cred by and often protruoing through the SOL,
BhOud never be plOwed but should be kept always
in forest from which timber Is taken from time 10
tme but to such extent as TO reveal IT'S rug
vedness. WeStcheSter County alone has thousands
Of acres, now denuded and devoted to grazing which
should never have been cleared. Cut Oft the timber,
IL you are not content with cutting out, but keep
such rough land always in wood. It's cultivation
can never nav its grass is burnt up by sultry
week while stripping it Of timber tends TO render
our springs and streams scanty ana capricious.
There is nothing worse la our rural economy than
this uncoverng OF rocky sleeps that ought TO remain
timbered evermOre.
There moreover, ldiS 100 SteIlle 10 De Clli-
tivated with profit at least while much good land
lies idle and useless These lands are often level
enough and not too stony; but it will cost more to
bring them to proper state of fertility than they
will then DO worth. Some of these might he, and
probably ought forthwith TO be, sowed with nuts ana
tree-seeds and so covered with TIMBER probably the
pillow might be advantageously used in the process;
but IL would be unwse TO subject them TO other cu-
ture for ages yet If ever. -
". Then there are lands which have good though
shallow surfacosol but covering pOisOnoussubsOil.
which must not be disturbed. Prof. Mapes found
such tract in West Jersey, where stratum OF sui
phate of Iron lcCpperaSl lay but eight inches below
the surface To pillow into this, and mix IL with the
surface soil, arrested vegetation altogether
V. And again: There are soils mainly allnyal, at
once mellow and 80 fertile that the roots of the
cereals and of most plants, Will permeate and draw
Sustenance from them though they are never dis,
tSed by me p N y o tbs ehe Judge that
the valley south OF Marysvilie, California, annually
covered many feet deep by the turbd floods OF the
Iubs. Feather, and American rivers, is mnch me
same There are portions Of the inteTvale Of the IL
nOs where the muck Is sixteen feet deep very loose
and rich was told in California that the Grape,
though it had 10 be waered sparingy during its trst
two Summers, needed no irrigation thereafter III the
valleys of that State though they are dried UP IN
Summon to a depth Of several feet. The roots strike
down through the rich loan below tall they md
moisture that they can appropriate and thrive upon.
1 Judge that the valley OF the Sacramento ana IT'S
man tributaries is often parched 10 depth OF Tour
nave tins fuIly conceded that Deep Flowing is
not everywhere requisite. NOW let me snow where
{. Il has been abundantly demonstrated here that
Che roots of plants are often found at distance Oh
several feet from the stem. Any OF MS may have seen
that this is as true Of ladlan Corn as OF Cauada
Thistes; with microscope and due patience, the
roots Of wheat may be traced from four TO SIX feet
or course, these roots seek nOuflshment ana Du IT,
Nature, in the broad Wow, makes no aDOrtiNe' at
least no wanton effort. Roots wander IN search OF
food not otherwise TO I've found.
II. Our subsoils are generally compact and repel-
leut Wherever a ditCher would naturally Iuse u
pick, there few roots can make their way except
very slowly aud By wasting effort. Few or no cereals
edible roots iced and flourish the penetra
tiOu OF such sub,Oiis. Aud while our sands and
iooser gTayels eas y trayersed they seldom
eOntaih tlte plantiO0d whereof the roofs are IN
search. They either remain uupeuetrated. an the
effort is uniewarled by any gam Of nutrition 10 the
plant
Ill Our Summers and Aptumns are often persist
entity hot and DRY. The continuously torrid suns
which this year destroyed bali the later crops of
Europe are here encountered often as every third
year DTOuth is one of the foremost causes of the
failure OF crops Oar ancestors mainly emigIated
hither from the British Isles, from Holland. aud the
coasts OF Northern and Western Europe, where hu-
nudity is the rule plOiIacted dTOuth the exception
Sixteen inches Of >oii IN climate Is hardly equal
HOLLAND. And yet the best farmers OF those coun-
tres agree M commencing deeper plOWing.
Nv. What We adVDcate ~ not the buIying OF the
vegetable mold natural 6uiiacesOil under several
inehes OF cold licless clay, sand, or-payel. IL the
slbSoi is not 20 be enriched. II may better remain
the sulSoiE but That DOE not prove that II ought
not IL be lifted. stirred. acIsfed. pulyerZed. The
pght thing 10 do J. 10 enrich az well mellow and
aerato the entire soil to depth Of fully eighteen
inches; though twelve may answer "A beginning.
tse Michigan or y subsOil plow, If YOU WILL and
Keep the various strata where nature placed them;
but give yOur plants like yOur cattle, chance to
reach food and drink at all times. Let down the
bars that would Keep them from the lifc-giying
springs.
v Plants look to the soil for J. anchorage: 2 most
ure 3 most of their food. II they cannot lind these
more certainly and more abrndantly IN twelve 10
eighteen inches OF sod than in siX then is
fool mathematics cOujcctural science. and farmer
should prefer balance IN bank 10 his credit II tGC0
to one OF 81 800.
VI We are told that roofs prefer 10 run near the
surface loving the warmth of the sun. Let them
run there then: we do not buder them. Make tue
soil rich rs we'll "a deep, and let them run near the
surface for warmth or descend for moisture, or
both. as they shall see H. We pTOileT them freedom
of choice. II wet season attracts them 10 the sui-
face. a dry one must cOustrGin them 10 dive tof
moisture. II is our duty so 20 provide that they
may ilnutlsh, however Maynard the season -
VII have steep hillside which choose 10 cui-
tiyete. the soil beng warm and kind. Plow this six
by cart-l0ads INTO the brook below where il is nse-
less. PlOw II twice as deep aud not peek Of sOIi
will be flooded of IN n lifetime
VIII. la n wet season Deep Flowing docs al the
worst. no harm. In dry season, II doubles the
crop.
TX. Unless small amy is more effective thai, a
large one, al empty poekGt-bOOk better than q mil
lean crop preferable "a large one then dee,
sol must be more productive than shallow one
FARM ITEMS
The tomato is supposed to he a modern frnit IL Il
Ia a frgtt hIIf Al - ia, hoo