Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1873-06-12
Flowing.

| THERE have been some experiments made
| by our broom corn growers which 90 tC
show that plowing, either deep or shallow
| as preparatory operation for the planting
| of brOom-corn, is a work of much less
| value than is generally supposed The
| test has been made during the past two
| seasons, and will be continued through
the present one. The result is that simply
narrowing the soil and planting have pro,
| duced an equally good crop.
| The past two seasons have 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 may 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 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 atmos-
phere, to the roots of plants for their use;
that this heat and air and moisture in
duce 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 blowing
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.
1t was not long since that, to spread
manure on the surface, and harrow it in
was considered heterodox; but today it
has become sound doctrine, and the old,
tedious process of composing, rotting
and pUlveTiZing has become obsolete and
a new doctrine is taught IN lis place We
have found that manure acts a two-fold
part-one in supplying plantfood direct
TO the soil and the other III changing the
mechanical condition of the soil so that it
absOrbs and holds the plant-food that is
prepared in that great chemical laborato-
~, the atmosphere If we have learned
all this from observation, in spite of old
habits and old teaching, may 1t not be
possible that we shall learn something in
regard to the soil and its relation TO
plant-growth?
We know that tillage compacts the soil ;
while, laying it down to grass, it soon be
| comes triable, soft, and finely cOmminuted
And in this We have the lesson ola true
rotation-not Of one kind OF grain after
another, but of any kind of grain with the
grasses and clover We have been max
ing up too many medical prescriptions in
order to doctor our soil, and now we may
do a good thing to look Il litlle more care
fully into its mechanical condition, and
see what changes can be made for the
better. We are not long in being convinc-
ed that water must not be allowed 10 stand
on the surface, and this leads to under
drains and to surface drainage as neces-
sity. | 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 condition that it can
be planted without reducing it to bed of
mortar by the use OF plow and the tramp
ing of the team
II shallow blowing is just as good as
deep blowing, or even better. we will have
gained in important fact for wet period
like the present-for every farmer knows