The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-02-07
How to PlOw.

The next most important couul-
ton is, TO have u deep layer Of soil
loose and finely communlted, that
the roots of plants may ralnlfy and
extend without obstruction. All
recognise the Importance Of this
but some think they have secured
it bv ploughing foot deep when If
lerel is struck. and the furrow prop
erly measured, four inches would
DO the maximum. I've inches
should b9 the mjnimUn: the maxi
mum we are not prepared 10 give.
Gardeners generally stir the soil one
one foot in bepth, sometimes W
or more. Their experience shows
that plants are benefited by such
deep breakings-the farmer admit
ting this, asks will it pay him:
That will depend on circumstances.
If he proposes to pursue the inten-
sire system, and Will arrange 10 IN
corporate vegetable matter and ma
nure as deep as he breaks the land,
we have no hesitation IN saying it
will pay to 90 at least a foot deep:
but, if he is dealing with a thin
soil, and Il heavy subsoil destitute
Of vegetable matter, it is verydoubt-
full. The best plan is to use the
turn plough, running it one or two
inches deeper every year, and have
a heavy coat of vegetable matter to
turn under every time. This will
evidently make a soil of unitorm
character to the full depth it is bro
ken-one through which the fertil-
izing elements + thoroughly mix
ed and readily found by the roots
without u long and weakening
search. This is also the most in
expensive plan, requiring little ad-
ditional strain on the team to run
the share only one or two inches
deeper in the unbroken subsoil each
year.
MANURING.
1t is hardly necessary to pause on
this head. Two points, however,
not fully appreciated, we beg to
press upon the readers attention.
The first is, that hiyh mauurlug,
in conjunction with a deeply brok-
soil filled with humus, is the
great antidote to drought and 9TH
er adverse climatic influence. With
these present, a total failure Of
crops never occurs, a moderately
good crop will always be made.
These, therefore, may be regarded
as the farmers Insurance COmpu-
n.y.:
The other point is, that instead
Of expanding labor in hauling leaves
to dilute stable manure, it is far
more economical to make the
''leaves" grow on the land, either
by a judicious rotation of crops or
by the rest. All the straw should
go back to the land, of course, and
that can be done as cheaply by lit
the stalls with it as in any
other way. Not only straw, how
ever, but corn and cotton stalks
all be ploughed under, in
stead of being allowed to rot on the
surface, as they usually are, return
ng to the soil scarcely anything but
heir mineral ingredients, which
cannot become gaseous and pass off
nto the air. Corn stalks should
cut into short pieces that can be
covered with the plough. A drag
Will bring into proper condition all
# the cotton stalks but the main
stems, and these should be broken
Up n frosty weather and made
eady for the plough. Farmers
generally act as if nothing but
hubble or weeds could give vege-
able matter to the soil-whilst. in
act, a good growth Of corn or cot
on falls very little behind them in
hat respect. The difference is,
hat In u careless mode of farm
ne, the former get incorporated /,
With the soil, the latter do not !
HyHiun{o,. :