Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1872-04-19
Work on the Farm.

THE prudent farmer makes his calcula-
tions beforehand as to what he will SOW
and how the crop is to be cultivated. The
farm should be mapped out in advance
and the crop to occupy each field desig-
mated, not only for one year, but several
successive years. In other words, sys-
tenn of rotation of crops should be adopt
ed, and strictly followed if possible.
Wherever we find agriculture pursued
in its highest and most profitable forms,
there we also find that rotation of crops
rs the rule, and neglect of this system
an exception. We certainly have lands
that will produce a crop of wheat or
other grain for several years in success
sion without any apparent deterioration
for the first half dozen or more, but fail
ures are sure to follow, and the far too
common cry of worn-out land is the in
evitable result.
One would suppose that every farmer
had sufficient pride 10 prevent him from
admitting. that he had allowed thesland
under his care to deteriorate and become
barren. But we have such men in abun-
dance all over the country, and they talk
of their worn-out farms without blushing
with shame, as though nature, and not
themselves, were to blame. There is no
such thing as natural deterioration, and
we may look for it in vain, either in the
vegetable or animal kingdom. There is,
however, a semblance of such principle,
as seen in the results of what men often
undertakes to do but through negligence
fails to accomplish.
That land can be made barren must be
admitted but that it also may remain fer
tile during thousands of years of con-
slant cultivation is also true, as may be
shown in the millions of acres in Europe
and Asia.
1t remains for landowners to decide,
whether they will continue to pursue
their too general system of deterioating
and non.restoring, or take the opposite
course and increase the fertility annual
ly.
Everything available about farm for
manure should be gathered together in
the spring. If portion is wanted for
| fall-sown grain, place it in the compost
heap with all the coarse materials about
| the barn-yard, such as cornstalks and
straw. During the summer other mater
| ials may be added, such rs muck, leaves,
old sods and weeds, and the whole forked
over occasionally to aid fermentation and
decomposition. The more thoroughly
|
and certain is its action upon plants. The
manure used for spring crops should be
| spread upon the surface of the soil and
plowed under. Manuring in the hill will
answer very well for corn and potatoes il
the quantity is limited; still we believe
that it is better plan to Scatter it broad
cast and plow under. Coarse manure
placed in the hill is sometimes more in
! furious than beneficial, as it makes the
soil too porous and light, and the plants
suffer for want of moisture. In heavy
clay soils there is less danger of injury
from this cause than in light sandy land.
| While we are advocates of deep soils
and deep plowing, still we do not believe
in inverting soils to any great depth
Land may be plowed two feet deep and
only the surface soil inverted to depth
of five or six inches A common two
horse plow should be used, to be followed
by a subsoil plow, which only breaks uI
the lower stratum, but does not bring il
to the surface This mode of preparing
lands for all kinds of crops should be
practised wherever the soil is inclined tC
bake and crack in summer. Those who
have never tried deep culture will be sur
prised at the wonderful effect it has in
promoting the growth of plants in time
of drouth. 1t is worse than useless to
turn up the cold subsoil in spring and en-
deavor 10 raise crop thereon. Much as
there has been said and written on this
subject of deep culture, few persons seem
to understand its application to all soils
and in all localities. No one doubts that
a deep, rich soil is far more valuable than
shallow, poor one but the best method
of improving the latter is quite another
| Gna in1r 10 70 hatf t,Io an
for men with limited means to progress
slowly, and not try TO do too much, but
do little each year, and do this well
Commence with few acres this
spring, and work the land thoroughly and
manure heavily, and next year follow the
same system with another field, and in @
few years the entire farm will be brought
up to high standard of fertility. Dc
not keep any one field more than three
years in succession under cultivation, but
seed down with grass or clover, and al
low it to remain in meadow or pasture
for few years. Then plow up again,
turning under a good heavy sod, which is
equal to dressing of baruyard manure.
There are various ways of improving
the fertility of land, but as a rule our
farmers think more of what they are to
get out Of their farms this year than next,
and this is just why nine out of ten of all
the farms in the country are for sale If
the system adopted by farmers was one to
increase the products of the farm they
would be more anxious to hold on and
gather the profitable harvests. If farmers
sons could know positively that their in
comes were to be far greater than those
of their fathers, there would be some in
ducement to ''stick to the farm; but when
they see the land growing poorer and
| nossible and 90 where rich soil can he