Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1874-10-08
ranrrowIng.

here are q lew farmers who have not
in their own experience observed the good
effects wlAch follow the fall ploHibg Of
heavy hnd.@ Indeed, there are few soils,
if my, excepting very light sandy ones,
that are not greatly Improved by the pro>
ccss. Heavy clays or stiff clay loans
must ofnecessity be plowcd in the fall (;
they are too wet IN the spring for any but
late plosipg, and It is the early suwn Or
planted spring crops that are safest from
the many contingencies which threaten
them. But all soils which sre tenacious
enough to turn over ina cloddy condition
are equally improved by working in the
fll.9 The mechunpal condition Of soils
that have a hard surface when ccnpacted
by the treadiDg after harvest, the beating
ofpnnysbower. ard the baking of the
not sun rs very Injurious to their welfare,
The fall rains cannot penetrate the hard
sptsace, and flow over it to the hollows Of
the waior courses, aud in their passage
carry off bodily much OF the finer portion
o. fTsot worse than this, they dissolve
out The surface all the soluble portion,
wbichfs nus lost entirely. Let us res
member for o Moment Che fact that the
ealtpes9 Of tho great ocean ard those IN
Md sehs %tieh receive 4 laftc inflow,
bnt have no outlet but the evaporation
frem their surfaces-such as, for instance,
our own great Salt Lake or Caspian and
tie Dead Seas Of the Eastern continent
isall derived from the washing of the soil
which carries into the rivers, and through
chem into the ocean aud these seas, the
solnble portions Of the lard. Thus in
the course Of time, the vast accumulation
Of the salt oethe ocean has been gathered
from the soil, as tho lime, the nitrogen.
and the phosphates which enter so largely
intotthe composition of the ish and all
the shells Of the infinite varieties Of crus-
taceans, mollusks, and biyalyes which in.
habit its depths. 1t b u fact to be con-
sidered, that there is nothing in these
vast bodies Of salt water which was not
originally carried from the land, and this
fact shows very clearly how important il
ito prevent the washing Of the soil by
s*eeping rains and foods. These rains
occur in the fall and winter more than at
any other time, and when the surface is
broken up and loosencd the water will
sink intothe soil aud pass away slowly,
fltering away in q pure state, and leaving
behind il not only the salts contained in
the earth but a supply Of ammonia, nitric
acid. or carbonic acid, which it may have
gathered during its passage through Tie
air either as a vatrr Of rain, All these
valuable results occur simply from q
proper mechanical preparation Of the soil
ct this season. Again, after harvest the
ground is invested with weeds, which are
usually left to fipen their seeds and scat
ter them upon the surface for many fu-
ture crops. These weeds rob the soil of
much valuable matter, and it is in the
fipening Of the seeds Of plants that the
ground is drawn upon for its most impor.
tant constituents. The phosphoric acid Of
plants is cLi.ay concentrated into the
sead. and o crop Of weeds will deprive
the soil Of a serious amount of this nee
essury agent Of plant growth. Both OF
these Disadvantages are otviated by fall
following. The stubble and weeds, being
plowed under tho surface, decay and rot
and supply fertilizing matter all draft
hponthesoil for unnecessary growth is
prevented, mJriads Of young weeds are
started iato FIFE, and mag be killedin the
sprung by narrowing, or are destroyed in
:boir tender condition, aud, last, but not
least, n1ltitudes Of insect eggs and larvae
arc buried beyond resurrection. All these
advantages are sufficient Of themselves TO
make full fairowing desirable, and as the
process Always results iu an increase of
Cress, We have the profit, as well as a
lavee saving Of labor as the iuducement
tcPr2etics it.