Ellsworth American., 1881-03-17
Deer sr sh,llsw F.svsrs.

a NJ Were never more Impressed vIth the
act that e + possible 10 plov CERTAIN kinds
q .ai ts.o deeply. than ~hils riliRg among
I tlc iarms in Mans. esI,cciall, ~ thusc .ec-
T t.oa. vhsrJ Ga, sail pfrduminaies- Thee
lsri. SER nnor covered hs faFc-i gruvth
aHi chr rn1t. ~ thr trrcs pcHetTatc'i ths
.ad n rser, d.rr,iiau amt - cpn.id,rahls
drpih Mhru ths trers urre drstroscd b,
f rl'i.1g and hurmug and ths land ~as Fut
lata Erass. ,aaruaa. ersp. ueu ior man'
sr. rr.,duaed Ths a.hs. frum th, burn,
,re,tatl.a as lr,ied vlth ihs natural ferti.it,
o. th, .a... al ths plant for.i the crop, could
appropriate. vh.Is the dsea,iug ro1;s f'r
. bong uhiIs ksf, ths .arfsc, and sah~oll cau-
piraf,s., hght anl l,'r"us. ihe ohami-r'
i,a q, rs, rot'su Foo,. afoFi.a- free passage
desnsArl far surp.u. wairr falling from the
C.sul. o. ga'hcnug from melting snow.
Hlj D.. Oh, ro1i. l,ccamc cniirel, dcca,ed.
'hs cultivation D., plou, aud harrou,. With
the trrading ~ team, and animal. al past
f ur,. gradually filled ihr,. underground water
. cour,c., ami caused the surplus moisture to
collect and rrmain ou the surface
We have thousand Of acre, OF clayey pa>-
turc land along the line Of the railroads
/ which, although there had been no rain tor
/ a day or two previous. we're covered b, sur
/ plus water in every little foot track or de
/ preston In the surface. Such soils can
never again become what they once were
until they are thoroughly underdrained. so
+ that surplus water can readily pass of be
/ low the agricultural soil. or that which is
/ worked by the pillow. and fed upon by the
roots Of plants. The roots Of the present
vegetation. chiefly grass and weeds. do not
/ find their way into the soil except 10 the
depth Of a very few inches.
Now to turh this vegetable matter at the
surface. including both tops and roots. down
/ nine. ten, OF twelve inches, covering il with
a cold heavy weight Of roo,lc>s material,
would. It seems TO w.. bc about the most un-
sensible thing farmer could do. hut tins
/ is just vha, many have done in wears past,
following the advice Of those aho knew lit
tie OF nothing Of the pcculiariiic, of lands
Of ,hi> description. We wcrv crcdibl, in
formed iha, lands in certain portions Of
Maine which had in years past been ploUed
deeply show the i'll effects al the present
time. and tha; they have never produced
>atisfaotor, crops since the operation. while
other land, Of similar character treated 10
shallow plov.rg had produced satisfactory
return, continuously
On our own farm. the soil Of which =
loamy with gravel, ,gb,oi aud quite veil
drained Ne have never bscu able TO detect
auy injury from starring the ,oi TO an,
depth. Dram, have been dug, ryok, sunk
and >tum7> removed. the hoe, heing frc-
qaen,l, filled with the so.. taken out more
or less reversed, and Vet the succrcding
crops have AWAY, been quite a. good over
such stone holes or drains. A. eI-ew here
Three wears ago a trench over ninet, rods
long VA, dug for LAYING a lead pipe across
the farm. the depth being three and one
half feet. The trench crossed two yer, dr,
graNelly knoll, where crops always wilt IN
season, Of drought Both YEAR, since the
pipe laid, the location Of that pipe over
the dry knoll, has been plainly ob>er, able a,
far as the crops could be seen. by the extra
dark green color over the p.pc. Similar con
ditions have been observed where >tun, hole,
have been filled The gravel thrown up ap-
pears 10 contain no poisonous ingredients 10
affect plants injuriously. nor doe, the IN
Nerted sod seem to lose il value or get be-
yond the reach Of the roots Of plants that
may be cultivated on the surface
With such an experience. unattended by
a wider obsery alton. II would be quite nat
ural for one 10 advocate ,erl deep plo~.pg
for all; While those having had an eA per.cncl
with siif clay soil only. would be equally IN
clined to advocate shallow plosing. II
farmers club. instead Of discussing the
question. ''how deep 10 plo~, would con-
fine their discussion to certain Kind, Of soil.
there would probably be much les, difference
Of opinion on the subject.
We found ,ery lii,le land in Maine that
would be benefited hy such deep plowing as
Vas called for at the plo~ ,rial Of the New
England Agricultural Society a, Worcester
the pas, autumn. Nor do We find much land
anyW here that We would wish 10 have plough
ed 20 the depth Of ten inches. when prvpaI
ing II for crop.
OF course We refer to inyerting the sod.
4 >ubsoil pillow that will loosen and tighten
the soil al the bottom Of the burrows without
bringing il TO the surface, and without bury
Ing the vegetable matter and manure which
is contained only in the few upper inches.
would Of course be desirable Implement to
use. We call attention 10 the subject at this
time chiefly for the purpose of guarding
farmers in Maine or elsewhere, who work
clay soil, against being misled by those who
know really nothing Of their surroundings
New England Farmer.
FACTS ABOUT FLoUR-Flour is pecul-
iarly sensitive to atmospheric influences.
hence il should never be stored in a room
with sour liquids, or where onions or fish
are kept, nor any article that taints the air Of
the room in which it is stored. Any smell
perceptible to the sense will be absorbed BY
-four, Avoid damp cellars, or lofts where a
free circulation of air cannot be obtained.
Keep in cool, dry, airy room, and not ek-
posed to freezing temperature, nor to in
tense natural or artificial hea; for any length
Of time above 20 TO 12deg Fahrenheit 1t
should not come in contact with grain or
other substances which are liable to heat
Flour should be sifted and the particles