The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1873-06-28
FARM AND GARDEN.
Flowing.

There have been some experiments made by
onr broom.corn growers which go to show
that blowing, either deep or shallow, us
preparatory operation for the planting Oh
broom.corn, is work of much less Vaiue
than is generally supposed. The test mas peer
made during the past two seasons, ana VII
be continued through the present one. The
result IA that simply narrowing the soil and
planting have produced an equally Sooo
crop.
The past two seasons lave been dry and
highly favorable to this plan, on account OF
the absence of weeds and the vigorous growth
of the corn, and it is possible That the present
changed condition OF the soil and weather
NAV not be as satisfactory; but it will be OF
interest to know what that may be. If we
can save the labor of deep blowing, it will be
no small item deducted from the total cost OF
culture.
There are many people who contend that
deep blowing is not at at all essential to good
crops, and that all we need in this direction
is the opening of the surface so as to admit
air, moisture, and heat; and that the air and
moisture carry the plant.food, that is SO
abundant in the atmosphere, to the roots OF
oIants for their use t that this heat and air and
moisture induce chemical changes that in
some way aid the growth Of plants, or serve
TO build up their solid tissues. No doubt
there is much in this, and that our deep pillow
inc is often damage rather than a benefit.
1t is not probable that any absolute rule can
be laid down, but the farmer must at all times
exercise sound discretion in the matter
Ii was not long since that, to spread ma
nure on the surface and harrowit In, was con-
sdered heterodox but to-day it has become
sound doctrine, and the old, tedious process
of composing, rotting, and pulycrizlng mas
an trin iSt nnUDt
in its place We have found that manure acts
a twofold part-one in supplying planttood
direct to the SOIL and the other in changing
the mechanical condition of the soil go that
it absorbs and holds the plantt0Od that Is
prepared in that great chemical laboratory,
the atmosphere. five have learned all this
from observation, in spite of old habits and
old teaching, may it not be possible that we
shall learn something in regard to the soil
and its relation to plant-growth?
We know that tillagc compacts the soil;
while, laying it down to grass, it soon becomes
friable, soft, and finely comminuted. And in
this we have the lesson of a true rotation
not of one kind Of grain after another, but of
any kind of grain with the grasses and clover.
We have been making up too many medical
prescriptions in order to doctor our soil, and
now we may do good thing to look little
more carefully into its mechanical condition.
and see what changes can be made for the
better We are not long in being convinced
that water must not be allowed to stand
on the surface, and this leads to underdrains
and to surface drainage as necessity. | have
no doubt that we shall soon be able to obtain
annual crops of corn, in seasons both wet and
dry-for we shall have our soil in that con-
dltion that it can be planted without reducing
it to bed of mortar by the use of pillow and
the tramping of the team.
If shallow blowing is just as good as deep
blowing, or even better, we will have gained
an important fact for wet period like the
preSent--tor every farmer knows that to
turn very shallow furrOw when the land is
wet will prevent that packing of the soil
which is so much feared during such periods,
and which is sure to injure the crop more or
less. Shallow blowing will soon rot and be
out of the way; and it also destroys the weeds,
When we SOW the small grains very early in
the spring, their growth smothers out the
weeds; or, in case of a failure, the weeds
smother out the crop, And this teaches us
two things: First, to sow early; and, in the
the second place, to put in sufficient seed to
occupy all the surface, so that the weeds will
have little chance to grow, and that the sur
face be kept shaded, thus preventing too
rapid evaporation, and to keep the surface
open to the air, the heat and the moisture
We now put in the early spring crop with
the harrow and cultivator, and insure bet
ter yield, and at a much less cost, over the
old plan. We have vastly cheapened the
corn crop, but we have not got to the bottom
yet-for, in addition to the cheapening of the
annual outlay of labor, we must look to a
steady annual yield in the untavOrable as
well as favorable seasons. Corn is the great
staple of the farm, and is more the measure
of the prosperity of the farm than any other
staple, cotton not Xcepted.-Rurai, IN CHI
cago T'rtbnae.