The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1877-08-30
Ikeon 1hs PIough sso.ne.

Among the many valuable lessons
which the late severe drought in Califer-
MIA has probably taught the farmers of
that state, none will prove more useful
than that of the importance of deep and
thorough culture. We read of one in
stance where a man has lost his entire
crop of wheat, with the bare exception
of ten acres, which were ploughed twice
before sowing, while the others were
ploughed only once. Now, we have long
claimed that if the soil is worked deep
enough and finely pulverized, it will take
a very severe drought to prevent it from
maturing a crop. The yield may be les
eened by drought, but a total failure
would be something very unusual on soil
that had been stirred by plough sixteen
to twenty inches deep. To work soil to
such depth is certainly an expensive
operation but what of this, So long as a
prOpOrtionate return is obtained? To
make " two blades of grass grow where
one grew BEFORE" is the aim, or should
be, of every good farmer and if ten
acres can be made, through deep culture,
to yield as mitch as twenty by thu usual
systems of shallow ploughiDg, there must
be gain equal to the cost of the extra
ten acres.
When we hear accounts of crops of
straw berries of from. three hundred
to four hundred bushels per acre,
we may rest assured that the four
inch ploughing of the land was con-
sidered satisfactory, or even practiced
The largest crop we ever SOW of this fruit
was upon a rather stiff loan, which had
been worked over to the depth of two
feet, and manured literally throughout
Dry weather in summer had little or no
effect upon this land, for it was gigantic
sponge, holding a certain amount of
moisture and no more.
Some farmers seem to be averse, not
only to plOughing deep, but often. If
the ground is wet, they at once tell you
that it is not good to work over land
when it is in this condition; when it is
very dry, they are always afraid of max
ing it dryer by stirring, and between
these two conditions there are few OPP
portunIties of plOughing land when it
is just right. Perhaps this is one reason
why some only plough out or cultivate
and hoe their corn and potatoes once,
while few farmers never put hoe into
the field, considering that to run through
! the young plants with a cultivatOr, or
double-mould board plough, is quite suf-
! ficient. 1t is no wonder that the average
yield of corn in some states noted for
their rich soils, does not reach twenty
| bushels per acre, while those farmers who
| practice thorough and deep culture OBJ
| tain seventy-tive to one hundred bushels,
with no better foundation to build upon
than those who seldom get more than ten
to fifteen. The season for cultivating
! crops is at hand, and we say, keeping the
| plough aud cultivatOr going among the
rows, and do not be afraid of letting in
the air, or allowing the moisture to es-
cape through frequent stirring.
Another objection to working among
corn and potatoes after plants have
reached a good size is, that there is dan
ger of cutting of, or at least disturbing,
the large lateral roots; but the injury. il
any should be done, which is not ali
| probable where a cultivator or horse hoe
/ Is used, will be more than made good by
the beneficial effect OF stirring the soil.
1t Is so easy 10 test the effect of frequent
culture of growing crops, that it is some
What singular that more experiments are
not made in that direction. We once
had nelghbov who never failed 10 rtis..
an excellent crop of beets aud CABBAGE,
and who attributed his success to tra1.
planting the first and hoeing the latte,
twice q week for the first month afse,
the plants were set out.