Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-05-30
Farm and Fzresaae.
DEEP VS.. SHALLOW. PLOWTvG.

DEEP vs.. SWALLOW. FLOWING.
The depth to which we should pillow
piece of land can be regulated by no rule.
1t depends upon great variety of circum-
stances. 1t should vary with the nature of
the soil and subsoil, with the kind of crop
TO be grown, and with the climate. These
are facts that, 10 the practical man, need
only to be stated to ensure their acceptance.
The knowledge of them comes from exper-
iment, and comedies with experience; it is
also confirmed by science. Yet they are
wholly disregarded by hundreds of writ
ers and speakers, who, so far as they have
had any influence, have had an evil one
upon the minds of farmers, darkening
counsel by words without knowledge.
There are farms here and there or portions
of farms, all over the country, which may
DO deeply plowed without injury, and
sometimes, or for some crops, with advan-
tage. These are usually alluvial lands, of
which the composition is uniform for
con sderable depth. 1t often happens on
this kind of land, when apparently "run
out" that deeper furrow will greatly in
crease the crop. But such is not the char
acter of our hill land, and of but part of
that usually called valley land. The sur
face soil of these latter is entirely distinct
in character from their subsoil, which
while it may contain some clements of fer
tlity, contains them in such small proper
tons, or in such insoluble combination, as
to be generally injurious TO crops when
brought to the surface, or mixed with the
top layer of earth. 1t is sometimes possible,
though not so generally as is believed, TO
deepen shallow soil by taking up little
of the subsoil every year. Whether it will
pay to do this in any given case can only
be ascertained by careful experiments and
calculation. Some subsols are actually
poisonous to crops, and field may be rem
dered worthless for generation by care
lessly or Intentionally running pillow into
the m. On the whole we believe the best
and surest subsoilcr we have is the clover
plant. It's long roots will 90 down, in most
subsoils, and bring up not only the !ertil-
iii ng elements naturally DEF osited there,
but also, in light soils, a good deal of fer
tilizing matter that has leached downward,
below the reach of grain crops and COM
mon grasses. By rotation into which clo-
yer enters, a very much larger average can
be given TO The crops than when left out
other things being equal. We were much
unused, this spring, by the remark of q
plowman who was turning over field fol
us in which clover ley had been plowed
un der last spring for corn. "Why," said
he, show rich this turns up; it would dc
fnp ,yhaat Ha thnn OIL WI had haap ,lla
nuring it very heavily, when in fact moth
ing but mineral fertilizers and clover seet
had been put upon it for six years. The
depth to which the pillow should be run de-
ponds to considerable extent upon Tho
crop to be grown. Grain crops do bes
with rich, shallow seed bed, in pcrfec
filth and free from weeds. For roots, on Tho
contrary, we want to 60 as deep as the sol
will admit. Shallow soils are not adapted t.
them on such soils, ii is best to ridge til,
ground for the rows. Level culture is bes
for potatoes, (and indeed for all crops,
when the soil is deep and dry. But som'
are trying to make this, like deep blowing
surface manuring, and other hobbies,
general rule. 1t will not work so. Climate
makes great difference in regard to tn
profitable depth to which the pillow may b.
run, supposing the land TO be of that char
acter which admits of deep blowing at all
The biggest crop of corn on record wa
raised in South Carolina, yet the averag
crop of that state is only some eight or tel
bushels to the acre. Alluvia land, deepl,
plowed, is what is required for big corr
crop in the South, and the same is true @
the sugar cane. Hence the great benefi
derived from the use of the steam pillow o.
some of the sugar estates of Louisiana
But note The difference produced by eli
mate. In northern Vermont three or fou
inches is as deep as the ground should b
plowed for corn. In the South large, slo'
growing corn is cultivated, which require
great amount of plant food, but is in n
great hurry about getting it. II has 81
months TO grow top and root in, and ca
forage far. The soil will be warm enoug
eighteen inches deep. Not so with US. Gu
corn must get through with its business /
thr ee months, and the soil is never war;
enough for corn roots one foot below the su
face. Consequently high manuring, clea
wal III StuSOut anu SlldllOW pow
ing, are here the conditions Of large Gro
of corn. We have no idea OF giving, in tn
brief article, more than a hint at VIII
seems TO us the true principles of tillage,
regards depth Of cultivation. What we all
at, rather, is mild testimonial of rejoicir
over the evidently approaching emancip
ton of the agricultural mind, and especia
ly of the minds of agricultural writer
from the notion that the farmers of Il
country can benefit themselves by gene
al increase in the depth of tillage. VIII
we want is an intelligent study of Il
whole subject and this will lead us nett
or to the universal deep blowing of Il
theorists, nor the uniform shallow plowiI
oftoo many "practical" men, but an u
Outstanding of the principles by which o
cry farmer may BIO able TO know whe
where, and for what to pillow deep or shs
low, according to circumstances.-W W. Fla
mer.