The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1871-03-11
FARM, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD.
Clay Farming
From the Western Farmer.


What is a clay farm? 1t will be i'm.
complete satisfaction of all, or even,
an overwhelming majority" so for
the present / shall call that clay land
which has no more than fifty per cent,
sand in its 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 modern 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 it's particles, by SO sub
may easily penetrate and at the same
time have air down to the normal depth
which the particular plant requires :;
without such condition it is useless to
attempt the raising of paying crops
from such soils. There are some farms
whose natural condition, inclination,
or sub-soil, or all together, renders their
management comparatively easy, but
most clay farms require large outlay
to fit them to answer their owners IA
tional expectations.
| The most effectual 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 0tacoyS
paying improvement. Air cannot
penetrate to advantage where water IS
held in 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 off,
while the life giving air follows; and
such change will be marked as none
but those who have witnessed would
believe The next work in order Is to
increase the depth of the soil lying be-
tween and over the drains (premlslng
that the drains are two rods apart ~
ing as directly up and down an incline
possible) with the pillow.
Deep blowing on well drained clay
lands is orthodoxy; on undrained lands
-callit what you will; on sand land
useless By deep blowing IS meant the
increase of the Through each year an
inch, Cor two inches at most, until a
foot in depth or two if you will and
have the power, is reached. All such
blowing to be done, if possible, III the
fall of the year, SO as to have the bene-
fit of natures surface and subsOn pillow
the frost-to commute the partl-
cles of earth and warrant abundant
crops if plowed in the spring it should
be only where the earth is in the best
condition to seed, which is a matter OF
as great Importance as the having OF
not having a 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
g-harrowing-o clay land should
be accomplished with as little treadlng
of the soil as possible, (and the roller
considered an abomination). A many
toothed harrow will accomplish the
work well and speedily. More anon.
l..