Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1871-03-01
FARM, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD.
Clay Farming
From the Western Farmer.

/
What is clay farm? It will be i'm.
possible to answer this inquiry to the
complete satisfaction of all, or even,
an overwhelming majority, Sc fer
the present [ shall call that clay land
which has no more than fifty per cent,
sand In It's composition, and so down,
to pure allumina, if such can be found
An ordinary clay farm requires much
more skill, or knowledge to produce
uniform crops than an ordinary sand
soil; the former being more at the
mercy of the elements than the latter,
but with that judicious management
which moderi1 science and practice has
enabled some to exert, the clay is al
ways superior in point of productive
ness to farms composed mostly of
sand.
The secret of properly managing a
clay farm is found IN aCrifying Or infus-
ing air among its particles, by so sub
dividing it that the roots of plants
may easily penetrate and at the same
time have air down to the normal depth
which the particular plant requires :;
attempt the raising of paying crops
from snch soils. There are some farms
whose natural condition, inclination,
or sub-soil, Oh al together, renders their
management comparatively easy, but
most clay farms require large outlay
to fit them to answer their owners ra-
tional expectations.
The most effeetual means to secure
the result desired is In draining
There is not clay farm in the land
that would not be improved by drain
ing, some more, some less, but 0lWoyS
a paying improvement. Air cannot
penetrate to advantage where water is
held III any great amount, or where
water has been retained any length of
time SO that the first important COM
mand to the owner of clay land is,
Let there be air" and let draining do
it. The surplus water is drawn of,
while the life giving air follows; and
such change will be marked as none
but those who have witnessed would
increase the depth of the soil lying. be-
tween and over the drains (premis1ng
that the drains are two rods apart ly-
ing as directly UP and down an incline
possible) with the plow.
Deep plowing on well drained clay
lands is orthodoxy; on undrained lands
-cali it what you will; on sand land
useless. By deep plowing is meant the
increase of the furrough each year an
inch, (or two inches at most, until
foot in depth or two if you will and |
have the power, is reached. All such |
plowing to be done, if possible, in the
fall Of the year, SO as to have the bene-
fit of natures surface and subso1 plow
the frost-to comminute the parti-
cles of earth and warrant abundant
crops; if plowed in the springit should
be only where the earth is in the best |
condition to seed, which is matter of
as great importance as the having or
not having crop Here If any where
the old adage will be verified "great
haste makes waste :" waiting is paying.
1t is of the greatest Importance also,
that fall plowed land should be what is
known as dry, before teams enter the
field to prepare for sowing. The drag .
ng-harrowing- clay land should
be accomplished with as little treading
of the soil as possible, (and the roller
an abomination). A many
toothed harrow will accomplish the
work well and speedily. More anon.
L.