The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1881-05-12
Shallow or Deep Flowing.

Deep blowing cannot be set down as
the most beneficial to all soils; neither
can shallow blowing be the right meth
cd to apply to all soils. 1t is evident
then that the soil is as different in it's
formation and construction as the
human family, and certainly requires
to be treated with as different remedies
as the human family when i'll. There
fore, the farmer is obliged to act in the
capacity of the physician, and be able
SO far as he can to apply the proper
remedies. But how shall we know
what the soil needs? We can tell by
working and watching the growing
crops. and by noting the effects of the
remedies that have already been ap-
piled. the manner of blowing, dressing,
care bestowed, kind of crops raised; or.
in plain words, practical experience is
our best teacher, and is about the only
teacher that most of our common farm
ers have to rely upon.
On most of our soils here in Maine
the farmers pillow all of their land about
six inches deep on an average, we
should Judge; some pillow eight or nine
inches for breaking-up, and say about
four to six for sward ground. This is
an acquired habit, and if it be right or
wrong it is continually kept up.
Now, If our farmers would only stop
to think over this question: Do all of
our sofia require the same treatment?
we think the answer would be no. And
if it be answered thus, why do we not
practice more variation in blowing?
If man has light, thin, sandy soil to
cultivate, and limited supply of dres-
sing. it would be folly to pillow deep.
But if he has deep soil and rich in
vegetable mould, it would be folly to
pillow shallow. And if he should have
q thin, gravelly soil, it would be folly
to pillow too deep. And if he should
have a peatv soil underlaid with q stiff
clay formation, we think gradual
deepening is the right method. So we
might go on with the whole catalogue
of soils, and their mode of treatment
would differ in nearly all cases.
A few years since had field of low,
fiat land that was formerly in pasture,
but bore no English grass, only poor
sort Of meadow or swale grass, and of
very little value for either hay or feed
for stock: and I resolved to make it
either better or worse, so thought
would pillow it up. The first time it
was plowed l was only able to put the
pillow down four or five inches, there
being stiff clay bottom; but the water
followed down, and the next time I
plowed it the water SO softened the
clay that I was able to put the pillow
down an inch or two deeper; and the
third time of blowing was able to
pillow STILL deeper, and the surface water
disappeared; and it has, since seeding to
English grass, bore excellent crops of
hay, and there are no signs of swale
grass visible on any portion of the
field.
Therefore, il you have a peaty soil,
or a soil composed of q rich mold, be
not afraid to pillow deep. and mix with
it the soil that lies beneath, if it be re-
tentive, and we think it cannot fail to
be improved in at least two ways: first,
by letting the surface water below the
roots Of the crops to be grown; and
second, by the mixture Of the soil
which will be an everlasting benefit to
all succeeding crops.-C0r. German
tos0n Telegraph.
Philadelphia has adopted new
and <,,ck~>,.. fAs--. 3. A. :.