Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1870-04-28
AGnrCULTunAL.
Shallow W Deep Flowing.

The depth to which farm lands should
be plowed in order to insure the greatest
present and future returns, il . question
which deeply concerns every man who
owns or cultivates an acre Of titled soil, as
well as interests the country at large
Much argument and many dogmatic aver
ments have lately observed in the Agri-
cultural press, against shallow and in favor
of deep blowing, without always defining
the terms. The American Institute Far
mer's Club has therefore, think, done a
wise thing in deciding SO far as it could,
that shallow blowing shall henceforth mean
five inches and under, and that deep plow-
ing shall mean over five inches, but with
out fixing limit think on that side. One
member at least of the aforesaid club has
however avowed himself in favor of plow-
ing twelve and ultimately to the depth OF
Eighteen inches, with q view TO pront- III
the present product OF farm land can be
doubled and trebled simply by increasing
the depth Of the soil in that ratio, as some
persons allege, it is certainly high time that
farmers should know 1t. If deep blowing
subsoiling and air draining are followed by
such results as their advocates claim Tor
them. then farmers hereabouts are richly
deserving leather medal in not having
put them all in practice long ago. Pro-
fessor Mapes favored us with lecture on
Agriculture, fifteen years ago, IN which he
took the most radical ground. and argued
nuently with great positiveness In their Ia
vor; but as yet, the first air drain remains
TO be made. and the subsoil rests where
nature placed it.
Since then, however, l observe that the
advocates of deep blowing generally reco-
mend farmers to go down an inch or Two
deeper at each successive blowing and thus
gradually deepen the soil without the adj
mitted disadvantage of having much sub
soil ON the surface Allow me Mr.. Editor
to question the policy of disturbing the
subsoil at all. If a very deep soil were
essential in the production OF maximum
crops OF any kind it would seem TO be SO
SO with roots. vet have raised at the rate
of twelve hundred bushels OF sugar beets
to the acre, on soil not exceeding SIX
inches In depth. On the other banda STRIP
in nv gyrden that was trenched 10 the
depth OF thirty inches. fourteen years ago.
has from that year to this, done no better
and no worse than the parts adjacent. or
two farms in this neishborhood, situated
very much alike, one of which was sub
soiled wears ago and the other never, the
crops on the SUBSIDIZED farm, have been no
better, to say the least. than those on the
other. If the American Bottom, which Is
said to be from three to fourteen feet deep,
produces no more corn per acre than our
best land here, with six inch soil-which
| think is true,-of what use would II be
to increase the depth of the latter for corn
raising, and SO of other crops. III TO THIS
il be replied. that the American Bottom
will without manure, continue TO produce
good crops indefinitely, whereas your six
inch soil would by similar treatment, soon
become barren. reply that might he
reason for bayiRg the deep soil, IN prefer
ence to the other, without being a reason
why we should go TO the expense OF max
lpg one So far as ! have been able to
,Udge the natural arrangement OF the soil
and subsoil is the very best that could be
devised The clay subsoil. which Is thor
oughly saturated through winter and spring
with water. retains the moisture best in its
dark bed for the use of growing crops on
the surface during the warm and dry wealth
er that follows. | have seen three tons OF
hay. thirty bushels of wheat and eighty
eight bushels of corn grown to the acre.
also the stump OF chestnut tree eleven
feet in diameter. all of which grew on
six inch soil. Heavier crops and bigger
trees are often reported. but In regard 10
the above / know whereof l affirm.
As clover sends its roots deep into the
subsoil without disturbance, and VIII eat,
corn and forest trees do not. / assume, in
view of the foregoing facts. that 1t Is not
necessary that they should, in order TO
produce maximum crops of either.-Jonr-
nal Of the Farm.