The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1868-11-27
: thorough Dssinlng aul Deep caltura

tine j. Tie yield Of an average drp'A
at cultivation al soil not exercising
xix inclcs--comparativply amere film
nf The tarll's surface. Al the ;ror
ypnic matter needed hy' plants, and
~ cher dement's Of their nutrition
and iull development that come hom
tie earth. must be suppliei within this
limit. whileall The soil below this depth
is unemployed and Inert. The roots
of the grains and grasses 90 NOT or
iinariiy ,Nlerd much below the deulh
cnltivatcd: and the average at this ii
o ,r county is insufficient either Tor
protection against drought. for AIDE
nnatc returns inr the labor OF e;ilti>a.
lion. or Tor tail sppl Lies of farm pro.
ducts Tor national consumption. We
may ret be able to calculate the pre-
cise amount Of Increase in production
due 10 an additional inch in depth Of
cultivation, brt experiments have
shown that in many soils it bears. rel
atiyely. ncar proportion To the IN
crease in depth OF culture; SO that
" here the soil is now worked TO six
inches. IN inch greater depth 0! cul
tivalion would give nearly one sixth
more production OF 1867, Of those ar
,icles which wonId be influenced by
depth OF culture. has q, total value oi
at least 81 700. 900. Now, an
increase Of even onc.ienth Of this
amount by an additional inch OF cnl.
,ure wonId add $3.50. 900 coo to thy
animal agricultural lroluc,io Of the
country.
An erroneous impression exists re-
alive to the depth to which the roots
OF tie cereals and cloveis, as well rs
many other plants, will descend I'M
aerated and healthy soil. In raviues
that have been flied with surface soil,
or wherever the mould is Of snitablc
texture and condition carrots end
are orten found OF q length
NJ three feet or more; clover roots
from three 10 four feet; and instanc,
have been given OF still greater length,
IF the roots Of wheat and oats. With
he prevalent mode OF culture in very
compact soils, wheat roots are go near
he surface as 10 be thrown ont by tine
displacement OF freezing
and thawing, and, it not utterly de-
'troyed, they struggle !ruitlessly 10
pierce the unbroHen subsoil. pack ed
perhaps, 10y the tread OF cattle for q
century. and finally yield to the blast
rg power Of an early drought, blight
d, shrlvelled, light, worthless Tor
eed, and OF little value for bread -
the drill. planting the seed timly in
he earth instead OF scattering it Oh
he surface, already saves halt the
winter killing in the fields where it is
sed; and deep culture with proper
rainage, would procure exemption
rom most OF the remaining liabilities.
nd ordinarily from all drangers OF
rought. The ad vantage OF additional
epth of pulverization, therefore,
'ould often be lar greater than the
increase Of depth, and
ie profit of the improvement would
Q increased in corresponding ratio.
q this country the average yield pc.
ere Of one of the principal staples,
'hcat under our system Of shallow
has been gradually les !,
ened. until at the present time it does
OF exceed IL bushels per acre, while
.ngland, with her deep tillage ana
citation system, has raised her aver
ge to % bushels. Estimating our
heat area at 100000 o. acres,
nd allowing an increase OF i6 bush
IL per acre under a system Of thor
ugh and judicious cultivation, the in
reased production would amuunt to
5000, 600 bushels; and wheat is
ut one OF the staples to be benefited +,
y snch improvement. ID
Deep cultivation is a prime necessi .
? OF root culture, which forms the p
ssis OF English agriculture, and en-.
bles the English farmer to pay an. !,
ual rents equivalent to the iee.sim- :
lie value OF our farms. The growing !
{ these green crops resulss in a y
more thorough admixture OF the food
Producing elements OF the soil and
ts prompt perneation by water and =
me- gases which arp so upcnsaary ,nl