Connecticut western news., 1882-10-25
PROBLEMS IN FLOWING.

Whether to blow during the fall or the spring is one of the problems in agriculture that give rise to endless dis cussions in 8 word, there are two sides to the question. The requirements of different soils and localities must be met, therefore definite rules cannot be laid down by which to govern the matter under all circumstances, but each field ought to be considered by itself and broken up at season and in style best 1 suited to it's own peculiarities.
 Two strong arguments in favor of fall blowing are, advancing the work so as to modify the spring rush and the inn provement to the loosened soil through the action of the frost. A team can blow in the same length of time greater area in the fall than in the spring; there is more leisure time for accomplishing the work and less fatigue to both man and beast. When proper ly done, fall blowing affords drainage, so that the soil is ready oftentimes at least fortnight earlier for cultivation in the spring.
 Farmers who are agreed as to the de- slrabillty of fall blowing on most soils differ in their opinions about early and late blowing. The more universal plan, however, is to blow late-just before the winter frosts come-so that the land will not become beaten into compact state by the early fall rains. Soils by nature loose are best reserved for spring blowing, as the mechanical effects from fall blowing will only increase the fault. Therefore, light sandy lands are seldom broken up with benefit during the au. tumn, and experience appears to have demonstrated that land near the sea which is rarely covered with snow pro- duces better when plowed in the spring than if it is done the previous fall.
 Sandy or dry soils, as a rule, call for flat blowing, as this tends to consolidate the land. While on low or strong soil the furrows are left on edge. Much is written and said every season against breaking of ground that is too wet the I other extreme is not so often mentioned, and yet, especially in heavy clay soil, running the blow through earth too dry is almost as pernicious in it's effects as blowing when it is too wet. Sufficient moisture is required to cause the furrows to fall loosely from the blow, with no appearance of packing and no Jumps.
 More discussions have arisen regard ing the question of deep and shallow blowing than on almost any other sub- ject. Here again it is quite impossible to lay down any rigid rule. This ques- tion must be determined by the depth of the soil and the character of the sub- soil. A sterile subsoil will not benefit the top soil by intermixture with it, hence here deep blowing is to be avoid ed. Where the subsol is porous shal- low blowing is in order, for the evident reason that the subsoil requires no loosening.
 In general way it may be said that the subsoil ought not to be brought out 1 of it's bed, except in small quantities, to be exposed to the atmosphere during the winter and spring or in summer fallow, nor even then, except when such fertilizers are applied as are necessary to put it at once into productive con- dition. Two different soils of opposite character-as 8 stiff clay and sliding sand sometimes occupy the relation of | surface and subsoil to each other. When thoroughly incorporated and subjected to deep cultivation these will produce soil of greatly increased value. River soils having natural drainage take kind ly to deep blowing as do the black fer tile limestone soils.
 Lands that are dry, with but few inches of good soil, will not produce as fine crops by deep as by shallow plow- ing. This condition is, however, sus- ceptible of improvement by a thorough system of subsoiling and liberal manur- ing. Deep blowing is il-advised when a basin is formed below 8 certain line in which water will settle and remain until it can escape by evaporation. Such soil requires drainage, after which the blow can be set deep.
 The whole matter of deep and shallow blowing may be summed up briefly: Thin soils with worthless subsoils must be plowed shallow until the cultivator can and will afford the labor and expense of subsoiling and heavy maturing for number of years. This extra outlay will repay him in the end with handsome interest, not only by increased crops but continued value of the land. Deep clay loams and alluvial soils take kindly to deep blowing. The medium course, viz.: blowing from five to six inches deep, is exempt from the harmful re- suits of the two extremes.
 Experience has proven that time is lost in turning short plots hence it is economy to run the furrows in the longest direction and so lessen the num- Der of turns.