The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1879-03-27

The plOwlng IS all light, and need
not be done more than three or
four times over during the season
If the c~ultivatOr and harrow inter-
vene. | know that the summer
fallow in these daysis rather an OBJ
solete operation. Farmers think
it a waste to lose the use Of land for
a season to fit it for a crop for the
next season., but they might well
afford to let their soil just as much.
We see commanded and find it to
our interest to rest o~ne-seyenth part
of the time. But we are told that the
naked fallow eXhausts the soil /;
hat the frequent turning and eX-
posing of the surface to the atnos-
phere and the rays of the sun causes
"a greater evaporation and a loss OF
ammonia, and consequently a loss
of fertility. This ! do not believe.
The atmosphere returns to the
earth just what it recelves-no
more and no less. 1t receives am
monia from the n heap and
from all decaylng matter; 1t re-
turns the same broadcast to the
earth, and as d mellow soil attracts
more moisture from the atmosphere
than a hard soil, SO it receives more
of the fertilizing element and is en-
riched. But we will not stop to
discuss the benefit of the summer
fallow, or the good effects of rest
on the soil, 1t IS enough that the
experience Of practical farmers is
that a soil after Il seasons rest will
produce a much larger crop the
following year, other conditions
being equal, than when an annual
crop is grown. There may be,
however, a question whether the
crops IN two seasons are not more
profitable than one, and with this
view the present system of annual
cropping Is pursued.
The time is not long gone when
farmers of Western New York
thought a fallow and wheat crop
occupying the land two years, a
ternaLlng with clover to enrich,
was more profitable than an inter
vening crop Of other grain, deem
ing the profits Of one good crop
better than that of two crops Of
less return. Judged by the profits
of farming IN those days as com
pared with the present, they were
not much ii error. Wheat and
wool were the chief articles sold,
and good profits were realized. |
remember a crop of wheat raised
in 1854 of one hundred acres,
which sold for over $1,000. The
yield was $500 bushels, and | sold
none for less than 81, and sold
some for s2.31 per bushel in specie.
This was an extraordinary price.
but like yield were not SO unfrequ-
ent. This system of farming kept
our lands elem, but was exhausting
to the soil, as all our grain was sold.
and nothing but the straw was left
to return as manure. ct there
was no decrease IN the growth of
straw while this system was follow
ed. While | would not recommend
the return to that system of regular
summer following IN alternate
years, | do believe that IN every
course of cropping which extends
i've five or SIX years, there should
intervene one season Of fallow to
clean the land of noXious weeds,
and give a season of rest to the soil.
Such IA system would afford equal
return. and keep our farms IN a
better and cleaner condition. and
afford in the aggregate lai ger prof
its.-F. p. Root. Monroe Co., N.Y..
USE OF LIME.-PIof. Caldwell
reasons IN this way in the New
York Tribune ''Hence the first
and one of the most important
rules to be observed in the use Of
lime is that it should be applied in
these large doses only 70 soils com
paratively rich In humus, or strong
clay soils rich in finely divided sill
cate. 1t has brcn proved by en-
pertinent that lime will convert
plant food from the lnsoluble to
the soluble forms in either case.
We find the proverb current in
France and Germany, as well us IN
our own language, that lime with
ont manure makes the father rich