Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-01-18
Shall We Plough Deep.

A letter from James Hartsock, of Gin
ton, Henry Co., Mo-, asking this question,
brought out the following discussion:
Mr.. GREELEY cannot speak positively
as to the pDper depth in the locality in
question, bat | do wish to say, andam glad
of this opportunity of saying, that | have
examined somewhat this season, and |
have become convinced that the wicked
ness perpeuated in this room-the advice
to plough shallow-has already cost this
country a million bushels of corn. | had
occasion to travel in the South not long
ago, and in Virginia and in some parts of
the CarOlinas this cereal will not be third
of full crop. This result, in my judg-
ment, is owing to shallow ploughing. |
saw thousands of acres that would not
yield single ear They will tell you
drought did it; but this cannot be true, be
cause, at intervals, in the same region,
where the soil has been OVERLAND with wash
from the hills, and where, owing to its po-
rous nature, the roots could run down two
three feet, without reference to the depth
to which the ploughshare went, the growth
was luXurant, and the promise Of full corn
in the ear was all that could be desired
The same, | believe, is true in Salem coun-
ty, where SHALLOW ploughing is said to sue
coed so we'll On either side of these ex-
ceptions there would not be crop enough
to pay ten cents a day for the labor expen-
ded. We must warn the people against
the miserable and monstrous iallacy of
shallow ploughing, or we shall have fam
inc in this country.
Mr.. LAwToN-I am rejo;ced to listen
to these remarks. We have done wrong
very wrong, to let any word 90 out from
Us that would encourage the practice which
the gentleman who has just spoken so just
ly condemns.
Mr. FULLER-I said at the time, if my
memory serves me, that the publication O
Mr.. Pettits letter would do these United
States more harm than this club has done
good for half a score of years. Mr.. Gree
ley's figures are not at all out of the way
In Northern New York, where water stood
on the land, they are learning that they
mustunderdrain. The experience of plant
ers in Virginia this year may convinc,
them and all men that they must ''plougl
deep while sluggards sleep
Mr. TRIMBLE-The idea of charging tn
failure of the corn crop solely to shallow
ploughing is entirely unfair. As mucl
consequence as we may be disposed to at
tach to the influence of our proceedings
we certainly cannot be quite so vain as t
believe that any recommendation oH our
would have such immediate and extendet
effect as has been intimated. The entir
agricultural world does not, l fear, read tn
reports, and we must not set too high a val
uatiOn upon our power. Mr. Greeley
under great misrepresentation as regard
the quality of Salem county soil, and tn
fact remains that some fields there whic
were ploughed six inches yielded a poore
5 crop than Others ploughed half the deptl
' l repeat, and | solicit proof to the contra
3 ry, that the Salem county cultivators grow
/ year after year, the best corn crops in thi
country. Mr.. Greeley should see thei
great reaches of land devoted to this cert
Al. They get from sixty to eighty bushel
! to the acre, and they plough three inchc
! deep. These are facts which cannot b
gainsayed and which cannot be got over {
swept aside with flourish