Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-10-19

to hurt well-drained land. Neither have
we known the frost to do it; it cannot lift
the grain. Nor have we known rain to in
jure it however heavy and long continued.
Who has? And who has not known wheat
to have been hurt by all of these? And
who does not see it yearly, and in almost
every field in some parts or spots, as land
is now treated.
Deep blowing alone, if the soil has been
accustomed to it, will prevent most of this
bad effect. And even if a little fresh, raw
soil is brought up and time given it, say
several weeks before planting, to be acted |
upon by the heat and rain, and manure
old manure or compost-is added and har- |
rowed in at sowing, to start it, not to con- |
tinue tit will be benefit rather than a |
hurt. The wheat will soon get rotted in |
the deep soil and be safe. In such land
there need but be a dependence made upon
open burrows, aiming at complete drain
age at all points. and though whatever OBJ
structions there may be, such as knobs and
lily be done, and is of great service. Even
in soil with clay-bound bottom, where
water is seen in the first half of the spring
and late in the fall and generally winter
soaked and frost bound we have known
wheat to be made to grow and yield fair
crop. Our old homestead has experienced
this. But it was done by deepening the
soil preparing with corn and grain and
manure,) and then, with open bitches, Civ
ing it to the winter in wheat, which passed
harmlessly over it. Some bitches were cut
quite deep; others not 80. The appearance
was not good, yet it looked like work; and
it did well. 1t grew all grains in this way;
timothy of an excellent yield and quality;
| clover, less well. But it shows what can
be done by this kind of drainage. Deep
tillage is, beyond question, the thing for
wheat, as compact yet mellow soil, with
plenty of mineral or inorganic soluble mat
ter, and vegetable manure in close union
with it.
Such was the condition of the land in
the olden time when fallows were the rule.
Sod was broken up, plowed deeply, and
permitted to rot, either with manure-long,
undecomposed manure, acting through
fermentation on the soil-or following the
first blowing. The latter was the most
common resort, and seemed the most effec-
tual. This plowed under, after imparting
its strength to the top soil, and the old rot
ten sod brought up powdered and rich,
the frequent narrowing and blowing two
or three times, and trampling of the hors-
es, mellowing, compacting it, the whole a
deep, fertile, fine bed for the grain, giving
chance for its two sets of roots, and protec-
ted against the mishaps of the season.
These fallows should still be made to
clear our land of weeds, and to put it in
good filth. adding also the pure, prepared,
organic aliment from the atmosphere by
frequent strings. We are neglecting our
fallows. An excellent way is to follow
peas with wheat This has been done with
the highest success here, and is yet prac-
ticed by some, though little wheat is sown.
The pea prepares the ground excellently.
Why, it is not easy to tell. Its roots and
its haulm, probably both, have an effect
we know they are highly enriching, rank
ing with clover. The pea crop also leaves
the land mellow and generally bare, with
few weeds to chow. Certain it is that the
spring blowing and blowing again for wheat
have an effect, and they are, substantially,
a fallow, plowed twice or more-the same
season-and repeatedly narrowed. The
first blowing, which is here sod, has then a
chance to rot well the turf and difuse its
strength, what is not taken by the crop SC
that the top and bottom are rich and mel
low, and the soil the same throughout, and
if deeply mellow, especially of subsoil, and
drainage by bitches, open, or burrows
through inequalities resorted to, what more
is wanted? If there is good proportion
of clay and some lime, either artifcially
applied or natural, the crop is assured.
Somewhat the same is the case with 3
crop of barley, though it is thought it il
not so good as peas And all this we cal
say we have seen sufficiently demonstrated
to satisfy us.
But if the soil is not rich enough, which
is so generally the case, let there at least b.
the common though excellent resort of ma
nuring the surface at sowing, if fine enough
: manure or compost can be had, and Their
is no excuse for that at this time of year
This, as we have said, will give start t.
, the wheat, and that is much, to get it es
! tablished in the fall, so as to go into winte
9 quarters well, and come out the same il
the spring.
To keep up the growth which the ma
nure starts, resort should be had to som
inorganic fertilizer, such as salt, or ashe:
or plaster, or all of them, both to affeo
: the manure which is applied and to ful
u ther aid the crop.
u Ashes are good, excellent. The sod
, and potash have an immediate effect, an
Il the rest of the ingredients, to some exten
Is but more afterward, during and after til
II crop So it is also with the plaster, and s
u with the salt; they will sustain.
Is 1t is safe to apply the three. Littlela Ian
}, there is, especially in old settled countrie
IL where ashes are not benefit. Their util
7. ty is not generally nderstood-indeed,
fear, not by our good farmers, save he
E. and there one. We never, or very seldor
ne apply enough. A few bushels to the acr
he as is usual, is hardly test at all. Ten wi
G. show if there is any considerable fitness
IS, the soil; and this amount seldom fails
D. make good show. But it is not hs
IS, enough for full fine effect. Fifty busht
0 I; will bring the cloud of grain. But whoe
D. er uses fifty bushels of ashes, good unleac
d. ed ashes to the acre, or half that amount
ire None; the expense is not SO very gres
he and the ashes can yet be had with lit
pc, trouble, collected in the neighborhood, s
ca, at 25 or 80 cents per bushel. They a
In worth double this to the land; will insu
of heavy crop of wheat in almost all cas-
re- and benefit the land greatly for years aft
~ ward, especially if grass, or better, clov
|6,- follows the wheat. Sow 10 bushels to I
US, acre; more if possible; SOW what you ha
DO; and get what you can. And if there is
lack of unleached ashes, get the leache