Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1873-05-15
agricultural department,
A PAPER ON PLOUGHING.

The first of the discussion before the State
Agricultural Society, at its recent meeting in
Charleston, was upon "Ploughing and its ef-
feet upon different soils at different seasons"
and the debate was opened by the following
interesting and practical essay upon the SUBJ
iect by DR.. John H. Furman, Of Sumter:
Mr.. President and Gentlemen, Of the Society:
There are two points in which conceive our
practice of agriculture has been particularly
deficient. These are winter preparations and
modes of ploughing. With many it has been
customary to allow the spring to be- far adj
vanced, or at least the winter to be pretty
we'll spent, ere the process Of preparation be-
gins indeed, this is merged in that of culti-
vation, and the corn is growing ere the land is
broken up and the cotton is up on part of the
plantation before the earth has been fitted for
its reception on the balance.
A change of circumstances involves the ne
cessity for a change of modes. We once had
virgin lands and cheap and reliable labor.
Then, if ever, the extensive and superficial
system had its advantages, for (though ulti-
mately destructive) it often gave large imme-
date returns. Now, with, to large extent
exhausted and denuded fields, and unreliable
and expensive labor to contend with, it be-
comes necessary to obtain present support,
and accomplish the ultimate improvement Of
the land, that we resort to other modes and
appliances-that the extensive give place to
the intensive-that we plough early and
plough deep.
For what do we plough? This may seem
trite question, but it opens wide field for
inquiry, observation and reflection. What
do we plough for, and how and when should
we do it? We plough to pulverize the earth,
whereby the delicate, hair.ike roots of plants
may ramify and extend in every direction,
thereby obtaining ample pasturage to feed
upon. And here the advantages of deep
ploughing will at once be apparent. The
man who breaks his land eight inches deep
gives his plants twice the pasturage that he
does who breaks but four, and he who pene-
trates twelve trebles the sources of supply.
We plough to let in the air and sun, that
we may secure the fertilizing properties of the
one, and the vivifying and ameliorating ac-
ton of the other, and we should plough deep,
in order that these beneficial influences may
be extended to a greater area of root pastur-
age The air contains ammonia and carbonic
acid, both highly essential to the growth of
vegetation. They are rapidly and in quanti-
ties absorbed by porous bodies, while compact
bodies appropriate little or none of these
therefore, by thorough and deep communion
of the soil, we greatly increase the amount of
these bodies taken up and held by the land.
They act also as solvents upon many of the
constituents of the soil, thus preparing them
to be taken up and assimuated by the plant.
We should plough deep, in order that these
benefits may be extended to large bulk OF
the soil.
We plough deep, that our lands may be
saved from washing, and that the rain water
may not run off, carrying with it its fertilizing
properties as well as those of the soil it reach
es Rain water, as we'll as the atmosphere,
abounds in carbonic acid and ammonia, and
by enabling it fully to penetrate the earth, we
secure these valuable ingredients.
We plough to turn under vegetation (dry
or green) and to bury the seed of noxious
plants By running deep, we increase the
depth of our soil, and cover up these seeds 80
far from the influence Of air, heat and light,
that comparatively few germinate, and those
that do, come up slowly and in sickly con-
dtion, and are easily destroyed, thereby les
sening the labor of cultivation.
By ploughing deep, we not only turn under
and give comparative rest to the surface soil,
(Which has so long been drawn upon,) but
bring up sub-surface, which has, perhaps,
never been disturbed by the plow-into which
the roots of cultivated plants have penetra-
ted but little, and which contains much of
what has been drained from the surface soil.
In soils as light and sandy, Gas are those cul-
tivated by many of us,) the high winds Of
March and April carry off quantities of the
light surface, thereby rapidly exhausting the
land Of humus, which is its life blood. By
deep winter ploughing, we turn up valueless
surface, which, if blown off, is small loss, as
there is an nexhaustible supply left. And
here I would draw distinction between the
ploughing of preparation and that of cultiva-
ton. The one belongs to winter, and should
be deep the other to spring and summer, and
should be shallow.
1t is true, that the term deep ploughing is
altogether comparative. What would be
deep with US would be considered shallow by
the turners-up of the almost fathomless allu-
vial deposits of the West. What might be
deemed shallow here would be considered al
most no ploughing at all there. The charac-
ter of the soil and sub.sol must, to great ex-
tent, regulate it. When the surface is thin
and deficient in vegetable matter, and the
sub-soi of an inferior quality, we should COM
mence continuously and gradually descend as
we add to the quantity Of humus and the 9th
er elements of fertility in the land, till we
have reached the greatest attainable depth.
And here would remark, that in deepening
and improving the quality of our soil, we not
only add to its ability to sustain plant life, by
the increased amount of pabulum it affords,
but add vastly to its capacity for absorbing
and retaining moisture-a fact, the practical
Importance of which cannot beover- estimated.
The objection urged to deep winter prepa-
ration and shallow cultivation, that the lands
run together and become too hard for the Wig
orous growth Of vegetation, will be found of
limited application where the lands have been
properly broken and to the right depth. A
due regard being paid to drainage, this objec-
tion applies, almost exclusively, to soils large
ly predominating in clay.
If deep ploughing possesses advantages al
ready limited at, how important that it should
be accomplished as early in the winter as
practicable; that the benefits Of the winter
rains (and frosts in further pulverizing the
land) may be secured; that the air may have
as long time as possible to circulate through
its bulk; that the stubble, weeds and grass
may have time to ferment and decay; that
the moisture, which arises freely from the sub
soil, in seasons of drouth, by capillary attrac-
ton, bringing with it the soluble elements of
inorganic fertility from far below the surface,
and depositing them there, as it evaporates,