Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1870-07-22
FARM AND HOUSEH
Working the Soil.

IT is the tillage of the soil that makes
agriculture but we do not generally con-
slider 1t 30. We do not plow enough, cul-
tivate enough, harrow enough. We lack,
if possible, still more in subsoilinq ard
ditohing The lastllies at the foundation
of all; It aids. all the rest, and resists;
measurably and constantly, the drouth
and the excess of rain without 1t much
of our land can be but little benefited.
Manure has not the effect that drier soil
would give IL. Wdrkingthe soil is Often
injurious in consequence, especially in
clay land; the evil Is thus augmented, the
land becomes bard and wet, and in a
drouth will crack; in winter it is charged
with water; in spring and fall Il Is tn,
same. All this Is remed led TO greater oi
less extent by ditching; when this is do1e
the sub-soil may be stirred to advantage
and to any depth-otherwise subsoiling,
with hard bottom below, would only I'M
crease the evil, as the soil, loosened, would
still be filled with water, and hold all the
more, making In some cases q bed of mud
This is not TO be thonght of But drained
and there may be worked anv depth
and instead of being filed with
water, will be charged with air contain
ing fertility from the atmosphere, which
is left in the soil by circulation, and thul
the ground Is improved. The raw. sol
will now be acted upon, and IL properly
| managed fund of wealth NAV be OBJ
tanned. This, of course, in heavy or clay
soils. We thus get deep bed, to be deep
ened still at pleasure. fr~
Here manure has its full effect; all is re
| tanned, whether applied at the surface OF
turned in; the clay will hold it, or any
good soil.
The drouth may now be dehed; tn,
long rains the same. There is a conduit
in the soil (porous) itself, to carry off tn,
| water, but only so much as 1t does no
want; the rest 1t retains; and it can bt
made n imbibe, as in the case of droutl
when there is hard drain upon it. Thi
brings us back to. the starting point
working the soil. 1t is this that gather
moisture ; and it is this that enriches, Civ
ing chance for the moist, fertlized air Il
mix with It, moist and fertilzed mos
When the soil is worked in summer.
then contains the gases (emanating from
the hot soiD and the moisture (by expan
slonh and warmth also, a necessity, chem
ically and otherwise.
| :. Soil cannot be stirred too much. Thi
| is seldom entertained. Simply TO mellow
is thought to be sufficient, when it is onl,
sufficient to prepare the ground to receiY
the seed. We think our labor is lost whel
we work over and over our mellow soil
and 1t seems like playwork simply u
stir when there are no weeds seems no
TO be the thing. The dollars do not com
up Frightening; but they are there never
theless,s virtually, just SO much as they
tare in the corn or the soil that holds th
substance that grows the corn. To hay
the boy and horse constantly at work, re
treshing himself, is all the while a gair
the soil from below thrown up fresh b
the air, taking it in and absorbing it
wealth, and that wealth is Just what
wanted, the organic matter. Especiall
should we see this thing since the al
traotive power of the sell has been mad
so clear and striking recently. 1t Is nc
only the great sdeodorizer" or ''disinfeci
ant" but the great attractor "a. our field
Only give it chance with the air. An
you mellow it rs well as lessen the weed
These things cannot be too much repeated
too mach prged.--s r. e." in ,Prdir-
fdTRler. 81 Il