Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1876-04-07
Working Heavy Soils When They are
too W ct.

w ork1ng k1eavy Soils When They arc
too Wet.
One Of the most conspicuous errors
in the management Of heavy land,
where the ground is disposed to be
hard and lumpy, is blowing or work.
ing the soil while it is too wet. This
is common source of evil, and the
practice is persisted In. People Will
put in their crops rain or shine, which
is great and hurtful error. 1t need
scarcely be stated here that land
plowed wet in the spring and baked
thereafter, as it will be, becomes
hard. This is known, and yet each
spring we see it repeated. The same
is the case in the fall, when it is
thought it will not hurt land to turn
it up wet, that the frost will make it
all right, which is also a great error.
The frost will aid its amelioration OF
prevent the evil which would result
from the spring sun, but it will not
make it harmless. This is the cxper-
fence, whatever the philosophy may
be. We have known gardens, and
other land of rich, black loan, plow-
ed late, when the pillow almost swan
in the mud, it being thought and said
that the soil would all be right in the
spring. But it was not right. The
following year there was no crop.
The garden was q failure. How
can it he otherwise? Here was a
mortar, instead of mellow soil. The
loose, porus soil, full of life and fer
tility, had its character changed
The soil was close and compact. Its
texture was altered. 1t was no soil
proper, only collection of dead,
compac; matter, which the frost could
yitaliz,., as we know it does not-at
least in one year - reduce Jumps,
which are the same kind of soil, only
dried and broken up. 1t takes years
to reduce Jumps and clods to fine
and mellow condition. Then the sun
and the rains must aid also in the
pulverization. The proper way to
manage heavy land is to drain all
those places where the soil continues
wet and soggy for any length of time
after heavyrain. Remove the cause
of the difficulty, as we say of certain
diseases. Then work and regain
what is lost. This must be done (if
to be done welD by deep and thorough
draining. But if this is not practic-
able, pillow a little deeper in autumn,
and if possible loosen the soil below,
giving drainage to the depth of
loosening. Let the surface be rough,
in ridges, or otherwise thrown up, so
there can be as much exposure to the
clements as possible, The object
directly here is to increase the depth
Of soil, improving it by the addition
OF good, mellow subsoiI. Long, rank
manure may be applied to advantage,
as course manure will act tavorably
on the harsh soil with which it comes
in contact. Muck with little lime
added, is excellent to turn down, as
the acid and the alkall will produce
fermentation. If little manure
can be added to the surface the effect
OH the soil will be such as to develop
its fertility. If you have time and
means to summer fallow the ground
dispense with the manure turned
down in the fall, unless it may con-
veniently be done, and apply it in the
spring. The heat will at once effect
the fertilizing material, and through
its fermentation the soil will be i'm
proved. After the manure has had
its action, work the land thoroughly
and often. Soon after rain is the
best time, if such an opportunity can
be improved. This is Important
The heat and rain together have 4
great influence in reducing the harsh
character of the soil. Of course the
wet condition of the land is to be
avoided. The mean between the wet
and dry is to be aimed at. In q
showry season the ground will fire.
qucntly be in this desirable condi-
ton.
There will be no danger az stirring
the soil too much. Too much rank,
raw manure it is not likely will be
worked in. The soil needs large
quantities of manure. Make thorough
work and you will have a foundation
for al! time to come. The practice
will pay. 1t is the only thing that
will pay.
September opening, YOU will have
,";. Ji.', you need no one to tell
you VI. produce, as the seed bed
will be like deep cash heap" of
mellow, rich land. There are no
more Jumps. There is no more hard
ness or harshness. You have y mir
acle of soil before you. Let us see
more closely what we have: There
is the manure added, all the strength
Of the green mass retained and made
one with the soil. There is the fer
ti|ity of the atmosphere which tho
stirring of the soil impaired. This
is precious, if but little. The mater
ial is prepared, is organic, is just what
is wanted. These two sources have
Il great inhuence-greater because
they ere ut once available. But here
is still more-not the organic, but
the mineral matter-which the action
of the manure applied and the ele-
ments in connection, joined to the
mechanical effect, developed. The
soil itself, now treated well, has given
up Its wealth, SO that there is an in
crease of tho organic and the NOR
ganic elements. The mechanical also
is not only improved but revolution
lied. A complete change has been
effected, and in one year. Sometimes
it takes the second year; for there
are some bad soils in the world.
After a field has been managed in
the foregoing manner you will have
a soil for all time; but you must take
care of it. Soil is made to take care
of just as our live stock needs atten-
ton; but the land needs more than
all, as that is the great dependent
source. The most is to guard against
abuse and favor the land. This con-
slant attention will keep the land in
a desirable state of productiveness.
Z. q. in ". Y. Herald.
Two years ago bought some Sa-
yoy cabbage seed, which produced