Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1870-08-10
Economy Of Good Flowing.


The economy of good blowing is too little
appreciated, or at least it is a branch of i'm
provement in culture that finds too little at
tention given it in general practice. Usually,
blowing comes ct a season in our climate
when it is necessary to hurry it off. or the
season is over before the contemplated amount
is completed as a consequence, it does not
receive that attention and care its Importance
demands. To remedy or overcome this de-
feet should be our study.
On most soils, good blowing is the first
step in improved culture-therefOre the most
important of ALL All soils cannot be-or
are not ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS alike in blowing,
as the soils vary in constitution. mechanical
or natural condition, etc. Some soils will
bear to be turned over TO any practicable
depth, while others will have their present
prOductiveness injured or entirely destroyed,
so that the best judgment of the plowman
should be exercised in all instances is this re-
spect. No arbitrary rule is applicable in all
respects, under all circumstances the only
guide must be the superior Judgment of the
cultivator, guided by experience in his soil
Only one universal rule should govern plow-
ing, whatever the soil, and that is, it should
be the best to prepare the best possible seed
bed on the surface. Few, we imagine, suf-
hciently appreciate the important influence
a good seed-bed exerts over the success of
any proposed crop. A good and perfect seed
bed induces to the quick termination of the
seed, early and rapid growth of the young
plants, putting them out of the reach or way
of worms or other insect enemies. Such
enemies also find less inducement for a lodge
ment in soil thus prepared. Where the
culture is continuously good for a succession
of yeare, insect and other enemies grow less
that they do not find their favorite food in
sufficient abundance at their proper season.
All insect enemies of any production have
their season OF image, egg, larva, and chrys-
ais, and If they come to their feeding and
most destructive state without finding their
choice food in quantity, they either perish or
seek substitute from some other source
The soil is put in such a state that its
plant-food is readily yielded to the growing
plant, and instead of the plant having to
wait the slower process of the elements of
food being dissolved out, it finds them al
ready free to enter into new combinations,
or be appropriated into the growth of the
plant, causing a rapid, healthy, vigorous
growth growth and plant which insect
enemies are less free to interfere with than
where less healthy and vigorous
Good Flowing in all soils cannot be prop
erly done at all times during spring, summer,
or autumn, when the clements seem to be
propitious. Soils that need the most manip-
ulation, in order to render them fit for seed
beds, are the most affected by wet or dry
weather, and are the longest coming into
condition to be suitably plowed. For this
reason is it that summer fallows are so fire.
quently recommended and adopted, to let the
elements perform in part what the farmer
ought to do himself better at the proper
time. Good management and good farming
would do away with the necessity of naked
fallOws, and in their stead give us green fall
lows, or crops that would stand in the stead
of any fallow, and make the farming more
profitable, while the soil was being con-
stantly improved in productiveness. soil
finely pulverized. for not less than two feet
in depth will resist drought, and be less
affected with wet than one of less depth or
less finely broken air penetrates, carrying
warmth and mOisture-as il il ALWAYS
charged with moisture more or less, however
dry the weather-and the soil being loose,
it acts in its capillary capacity, holding
moisture in suspension, and does not dry out
as where more compact. In wet seasons it
admits of the passage of the water down
ward, thus giving dricr surface, less af-
fected by evaporation, keeping the surface
soil warmer-as evaporation from the surface
creates cOld-the roots Of the plants have a
drler medium, and as a consequence the
plants are healthier, grow faster and come
to maturity sooner, with better product in
every respect than otherwise would be the
case on such soil. A dry soil also holds more
moisture by being worked deep and frequent
ly, or repeatedly, than otherwise, and crops
grown therein suffer less from drought than
they otherwise would do
Another aud most important consideration
thorough, deep pulverization and culture Of
soil is one OF the strongest influences oper-
ating to continued vitality and health of all
kinds of vegetation, seed and products.
Grain or any other product is less liable to
deterioration from continued cropping on the
same soil where thorough blowing, ining the
soil and culture are practiced, than where
less good management is employed. This
want of thoroughness in blowing and pre-
pairing the soil is one, if not the greatest,
cause of the deterioration of quantity and
quality in the wheat crop in all our country.
To this, combined with the want of care in
the selecting and growing of seed, may be
attributed the decreased health and pro-
ductiveness of this crop-inviting insects
and other enemies. Let these two causes
but be remedied, and an immediate improve
ment would be apparent in the crop in all
wheat growing sections, and not only the
wheat crop, but all other products would be
alike affected. Now is the time to begin
the more the soil is fined for the seeding of
the next crop of winter wheat, the better it
will be.-Hedrfh and Home