Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1871-03-04
BREAKING LAND.

The subjoined article Is from the
pen Of one Of the most progressive
and best informed farmers in the
South, David Dickson. His success
of late years has given him n wide
spread reputation, and he IL, In addi-
tion, one of the most forciblc writers
of the day for the agricultural press
The object of breaking land is to
render 1t porous; to place the litter
beneath the surface tn be out of the
way in cultivation; to make the land
spongy enough 10 hold water; to re-
ceive the rain more rapidly; to pre-
vent washing, to let In the light,
heat and mOisture; to dpcOmpose and
render the surface soluble for plant
food; to enable the roots to penetrate
in all and every direction; and to
prepare the land so that the sweep
will pass over 1t easily and lightly
during the whole of the cultivation.
Land should be broken from eight
to twelve inches. Such as has not
been broken, should be broken every
year from one to two inches deeper,
until you get to the maximum, whicl,
| consider to be twelve inches, with
six inches beyond MS subSoil.
The advantages of deep breaking
are, that 1t protects the land, and Ell
ables 1t to retain moisture sufficient
to carry the plant through any ordi.
nary seasons Of drought. | have
never known n year but with proper
breaking, proper manuring and sur.
face culture, you would not make an
average crop. There IL no such thing
as failure, when man does his duty In
the cultivation. Providence has pro
vided all the necessary means tc
make u competency. While the land
Is fresh broke and porous, the roots
penetrate and occupy the whole oI
the soil, and come down into the sub.
soil that Is broke. During the cult.
walton, the rain on the land settle.
the soil to the roots Of the plants, and
enables them the more completely
to draw all the soluble matter out OI
the earth. The settling on the roots
has been proved valuable In more
ways than one. They will come ur
In twenty-five to seventy five pei
cent less time when the earth Is
packed round them.
Breaking must he commenced In
time to do it full and well by plant.
ing time. Usually, it should bt
commenced by the first of Decent ber,
and not later than the first of Janu.
ary. In this climate, on my farm in
Hancock county, 1t Is best, taking
ten years together, that the breaking
up he done not more than ten days
before planting time; this, however,
we know to be impracticable i'm ali
cases. My reasons for late plowin
are lsssed OH practical observation.
In warm, wet winters, the land /,
much damaged by washing and
teaching, by early breaking, and runs
together closer than it would If the
ground had not been broke. Ilscold,
dry springs and winters, have found
the early plowing to do much the
hest but from observation l find that
we have only about one of them In
ten years. III lived In a cold climate
] w0nld recommend to break early
md deep, Where The ground freeze.
from seven to twelve inches or over,
where the rains are not heavy, am, a
large portion of the time the land j.
covered with snow. In all climates
above thirty-six degrees, l would give
it rs my opinion, that land would be
materially benefited by fall plow-
ing, and the further North you go of
that line, the more benefit would be
received from fall blowing. The
freezes and SHOWS would max c up fOi
all the disadvantages that apply tc
the line south of thirty-three de
graes. do not consider it a question
When to begin breaking land the
point Is, must begin in time to dc
work before planting, and take all
the advantages that may come /; ant
the better the breaking Is done, the
easier the land is cultivated and the
larger the crops. ! always consider
the preparation the halfand the heav
lest half, of making the crop.