The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-11-14
0be Tarn1.
Renovation of WORKOUT
Lands.

IL
out Lands" is a complete and
thorough draining, both surface and
under drains, where the location
and nature of the soil renders it
too retentive OF moisture late IN the
spring. 1t retards early seeding;
and on such land the injury from
drought is much more severely felt.
The writer has not known a case
where this operation was performed
with ordinary skill and judgment
that did not fully repay the expense;
end in some cases the product was
increased from five to ten-fold.
DEEP FLOWING.
The next important step, IN my
opinion, IN "~Renovating WORKOUT
Lands" is to pillow deep, and thus
expose a new surface to the action
of the frost and atmospheric in
~tiuence, in order to make a soil in
place of one provided by nature:
but which either from cupidity or
bad management-perhaps both
man has destroyed. 1t is consid-
cred one of the most certain means
to attain this desirable end; and al
though subsoil blowing is fully
approved of, it is considered less
important than to break up the
earth from 7 to 10 inches, it is
considered less important than to
break up the earth from : to 10
inches, if the subsequent treatment
is properly attended to.
The writer is well aware that
there is a strong feeling of preju-
dice In the minds of many indlvld-
individuals against this practice.
They say in SO many words, ''our
soil Is only a few inches deep, and
if we do not pillow shallow we shall
turn up so much clay or dead earth
as to raise no crop at ALL" Ii two
or three inches of soil is buried in
the spring, under a bed of five or
six inches of clay, and thus left
without further aid, or preparation
for a crop that season, the result
would generally be as stated. That
shallow blowing enables the farmer
to get clear much more readily OF
the little soil or mold which he may
have on his worn out lands is sus-
ceptible of easy demonstration; noI
is it less so, that either IN a very
wet or very dry season, the croI
from this cause generally suffers.
During the summer months the
greater portion of the rains fal.
hastily; and whenever the ground
is not opened and pervioss to a suf'
ticient depth to imbibe the whole
before the surplus water can pene
trate. and be absorbed by the com
pact subsoil, a large portion of thu
surfaces becomes fluid, and rapid,
passed off, or washes away" I'm
less the land is perfectly level
What remains, after being so thor
oughly saturated, has a tendency t.
settle into a compact mass; sool
parting with its scanty supply o
moisture, under a hot summer
sun, an rendering it impervious t,
the roots of plants. If a drough
succeeds, a soil in such a state Cal
afford but a meagre supply of mois
ture to nourish a crop; and at
period, too when the creates
amount is needed.
| am confident that in most O
our lands that have become steril
the cause is to be attributed NOR
to shallow blowing, and washin
away of the little soil they possessed
than to the extraction of the vegt
table nutriment, by the growth c
plants; IN act. 1T Is almost a nee
essary consequence of this PERM
clous practice.
Having stated some of the disad
vantages which attend shallo'
blowing, we will now briefly enr
merate some of the advantages {
deep lowing, when judiciousl
pursued.
In the successful cultivation
cur crops it is necessary that amp.
food be provided, and in a access
ble form: and that moisture, equa
ly necessary, be administered,
neither too great nor too sma
quantities. This will probably |
admitted by all, and it is presume
the admission will also be mac
that the greatest amount of nou
ishment derived by all our flu,
crops is from the earth. By dee
blowing it is rarely occurs that
fall of rain is so great or sudden
completely to saturate the body
earth acted by the pillow ;and uni
such is the case but little danger