Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1873-09-12
Fall Flowing.

THE object of all blowing is either to
kill weeds cover manure, or the trash of
previous crops, pulverize the soil and rem
der it open to the influences that are con-
stantly working by which it may be dis
integrated and made permeable to gases.
Frost is one Of the prime agencies, in con-
nectiOn with moisture, in breaking down
the cohesion of stiff soils diSintegrating
and rendering them friable and permea-
bic to the air, the oxygen of which is the
great destroyer, and at the same time the
great regenerator. "A soil, sour and infer
tile through putefactiOn or other agen-
cies, is thereby OXygenated and rendered
fertile; for when the putrefaction is chang
ed to an oxidating process, carbonic acid,
one of the prime constituents Of plants, is
rendered available; this is only one Of the
chemical changes produced by the action
of the air upon soils.
What we call mechanical changes in
soils are fully as important as the chemical
ones, although the mechanical ones are
but few in number. BY "mechanical con
dition of Soils" in nearly every case, it is
simply meant to convey the idea of want
Of or locking-up of chemical action; as,
for instance q soil plowed wet becomes
baked through thermic force, OF heat and
drying winds, and is thereby rendered in
fertile. The mechanical action connect
ed Herewith is simply the turning Of the
soil. If dry, it is rendered permeable to
the action Of the air, chemical force. If
wet it bakes, through chemical force, and
becomes dry and infertile. But if plow-
ed in the fall, other action is again set up
through freezing and subsequent thawing,
and, through chemical action, the soil is
again disintegrated and fitted for the sus-
tenance of crops.
That system of blowing which will
leave the soil in the toughest state will
naturally suggest itself to the observing
mind as the most fit for winter exposure.
Therefore, blowing into lands, leaving
the burrows as rough as possible, has long
been adopted. Observation has shown it
to be best, it being the result of expert
ment. Man has been led on to other ex-
periments which have resulted in the
demonstration of facts that leave no doubt
Of the great benefit Of fall blowing on
heavy loans and stiff clsys. Cogent con
illusions have been drawn as to the real
cause of the benefits so resulting.
In determining the depth of fall plow-
ing. every farmer must decide for himself
The mistake most usually made is that
lo1b '1'NJ w CIO"CNt W OH lh|LCIIIIGC SLCpVh
in the fall; when, in fact, there is no
question which will allow a more careful
study than the depth to which soils may
be plowed. One illustration must suffice
If the surface soil be light and spongy, as
is sometimes the case with some of our
prairie soils, and clay lie at such dis
lance under the surface that it may be
reached by the pillow and thin slice can
be thrown on top TO give cohesion to the
surface, we'll and good; but the indis-
criminate blowing to a great depth of our
prairie land would only result in injury
to the soil for many years.
The real value of fall blowing consists
first in doing certain amount of work,
that may be done as we'll or better in the
autumn as in the spring 1t is not the
absolute lightness Of the soil, which might
better be rendered as flufiness, that consti-
tutes fertility. But its permeability may
be just as marked, in a soil fall ploWed as
in one spring plowed; far more so if the
spring blowing have been accomplished
when too wet, as is often the case. A soil
may be rendered infertile if left, when
plowed, too soft or mellow. Hence the
practice of rolling such land, to compress
it. The effects of fall blowing are scarcely
understood by many good farmers, but
its advocates will increase as the true
causes which are brought to bear in the
operation are more carefully considered.
Western Rural.