The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1880-03-05
FLOWING.

Those who would attempt to teach
agriculture, either from the platform or
through the powerful educational agen.
ey, the public press, must prcsaplose
nm audience composed Of thoughtful, in
telligent, common-sense people. As an
illustration, take the subject Of plowiDg;
one authority may advocate deep tlow-
ing, while another contends with equal
force for shallow plowing, aud yet both
sides may be equally correct, difference
in the proposed systems being based
upon the varied characteristics Of the
soil. The true function Of an ngrieult-
ural paper, in dealing with such ques-
tions, is TO record the actual experiences
Of practical and competent farmers, TO
draw such deductions as the facts may
warrant, and finally, TO surround tic
subject with stimulus 20 thought and
material for suggestion TO the reader
who thinks ms he reads, and is ever
willing carefully to weigh the value Of
the opinion and practice Of lis fellow
men.
No inAexible rule can be laid down
for farming operations, no formula that
will overcome MI dillicultirs alike; no
advice can be given that is Of much
value to the tboughtlcas and inconsiler.
ate. Thus, shallow plowing Is best
Ghere there Is light, sandy or giayelly
land, with thin soil; Lecause but a
small quantity Of sand on gravel Is re.
quired in a cultivated GeiI, while a
large proportion Of these ingredients
would result in positive injury. II the
sod is turned under, 10 there Is loose
soil enough 10 bury the seed, whether
grass, corn, grain or potatoes, and If
small quantity of sand o. gravel is
brought TO the Butface, such practice
will do no harm but rather work for
good in deepening the soil By plo~ing
these light, thin soils triilo deeper at
each working. great gain mny he secured
in deepening and enrici,ing the land.
Where, at the outset, three inches in
depth may be all the soil wiIl bear in "a
few yesIs Of jndicious handling six
inches deep may lie desirable point in
plowing.
On The other hand, il the soil under
consideration is full of organic matter
with heavy clay subsoiI, then deep
| plowing would prove advantageous,
since clay undisturbed retains fertiliging
matter without allowing it to pass
through and be made available for
crops, while If portion of this clay Is
brought mp and Incorporated with de.
cayed vegetable matter on tho snifaee,
il Is rendered fertile 10y the action oi
the sltn and air and through the mixing
Of soiia. Again, this same operation
involves the turning PORTION Of the
dccaycd vegetable matter down into the
clay all,soil below. opening aud rnnder
ing tie same more fiiable, also allowing
the nAts to extend 70 greater depth
aud thus enlarging the area Of plant
food. Through this composing Of soili
the upper aud lower strata are both i'm
proved by deep plowinc, the available
soil is drepened, while less manure il
required in securing eayy crop. BE
fore blowing il is important to deter
mine the character Of the soil, to con
, slider the crops intended for productiol
and finally to estimate the amount @
manure available Tor the purpose. Viii
these factors, the problem of deep o
shallow plowisg may be solved. Plow
ing and manuring should not only hav
! reference to the crops in view, tiit ais
, 20 the important subject of deepenin
and enriching the soil.
There arc other minor points connect
: cd with tire subject Of blowing whie
are worthy Of careful consideration
: The field should l,e SO arranged tbs
: long burrows may be plowed, instead {
: short ones, that is, il half nn aero onl
? Is Ia be allowed, economy in labor an
] time would suggest field eighty rod
8 in length and one rod in width, rathc
4 than four rods in width and twenty Iod
long. In the first instance the plowIna
9 would have to turn his team sixtee
!, times, providing the furrow was twelv
= inches in width, while in the secon
case sixty-seven turnings Of the teal
: would be necessary, occupying MOI
g time than was employed in turning Il
6 sod. Again the width of the furrow
. u HeTiUUa item Iu6 CoSS VI
il In the first case above mentioned if Il
Y furrow turned should be eight inches
place of twelve, not only would twent
S four turnings of the team be require
$ instead Of sixteen, but the team would
forced TO travel one.third further, viii
Il in the second case previously state
is eighty-nine turnings would be necessai
il instead Of sixty-seven. If the length
o furrow be the same in both cases, v
by taking furrow onethird broade
if three acres may be plowed in the san
le time occupied in blowing two acres wi
j. the narrow furrow. There are plows
,r the market which will turn twelv
t, inch furrow with equal ease to 4
d horses, as other plows give in turni'
N eight-inch furrows. Yet many farme
still continue working with an old sts
in plow, difficult Of draft, simply becau
30 they fancy they cannot atioid to p,
or chase a new and more modern imp
ment that would more than save
ip extra cost in single season.