The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-07-21
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD
Working the Soil.

IT is the tillaee Of the soil that makes
agriculture: but we do not generally CON
slider it SO. We do not pl0w enough, Gull
tivatc enough, harrow enough. We lack,
it possible, sill mere IN subsOiitng and
ditchiDg. The last lies at the foundation
Of all; 1t aids all the rest, and resis,s.
measurably and constantly, the drouth
and the excess OF rain; without it much
oil our land can be but little benefited
Manure has not the fleet that a diier soil
would give it. Working the soil is often
injurious in consequence, especially IN
clay land; the evil is thus AUGMENTED. the
land becomes hard and wet, and in 2
dTouth viii crack; III winter it is CHARGED
with wafer; in spring and fall it ia the
same. al this is rcmed 60 TO 2 greater or
less extent By ditchine; when this is done
the sub-soil may be stirred to advantage
ard to any depth-otherwise subs0iling.
with hard bottom below, would only in
crease the evil, as the soil, loosened, would
stlil be filed with water, and hold all the
more, masking IN some cases a bed Of mud.
This is not to be thought Of But drained.
and there may be worked any depth,
and instead Of being filed with
water, will be charged with air contai
ing fertility from the atmosphere, which
is left in the soil b. circulation, and thus
TIE ground is improved. The raw soil
will now be acted upon, and if properly
managed q fund of wealth may be ob.
taincd. This, of course, in heavy or clay
soss. We thus get 3 deep bed, to be deep
ened still at pleasure.
Here manure has its FIJI effect; all is re-
tanned, whether applied at the surface or
turned in; the clay will hold it, or any
coed soil.
The drOuth may now be deied the
long rains the same. There is q conduit
in the soil (porous) itself, to carry eff the
| water, but only so much as it does net
want; the rest it retains; and it can be
| made to imbibe, rs in the case of a drouth
when there is hard drain upon it, This
brings rs back Ia the starting point,-
working the soil. Il is this that gathers
| mOisture and il is this that enrlches, Civ
| ing chance for the ns9id, f6Tf,ltzed air to
| mix with it, moist end iertilized most
when the soil is worked in summer. II
then contains the gases (e1anating from
| the hot soil) and the moisture (by expan-
sioil), and warmth also, a necessity, chem
icaliy and Otherwise.
Soil cannot be stirred too much. This
! IS seldom entertained. Simply to mellow
| - ti-PNs54iV ~ ~ SuilCiGHh, W iCn IL Is Clily
sufficient to prepare the ground TO receive
| thc seed. We think our labor is lost when
IEe work over and over our mellow soil
and it seems ike play work; simply tt
stir when there are no weeds seems not
to be Tie thing. The dollars DO not come
mp bright nirg; but they are there n yer
tgriess, virtually, just "a much as they
arc IN tie corn o. Tie soil that holds tho
substance that grows the com. TO have
the boy AMI horse constantly at work, re
ircsbiDg himself, is MI the while gain
tue soil ifgo1u below) thrown up fresh e
the air, taking it in and absorbing il.
wealth, aud that wealth IS just what i
| wanted, the organic matter Especially
! Should VIC see this thing since the at
""0tlVc power OF the soil has been mad,
So clear and striking recently. IL IS no
| only the great 'deOdoIizer" or ''ulsi.rfcct
sut, but Tic great EXTRACTOR in Our fields
| Only give it = chance with the air. An,
You mellow it IS well rs lessen the weeds
! These things cannot be ta0 much repeated
800 much urged" q. o." tn Frairi
! rTrM.eF.