The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1882-10-26
FsIl.Piowinq and Deep TiIIsss.

| winter, every one snOuiu review t1t
past, and plan for better results In the
future.-Ansericdn Agricultural.
Fsii-Piowins and Deep Tillsss.
As q means Of increasing and per
petuating the fertility Of the soil, deeI
tillage, in connection with fall-pl0w.
ing ut the right time, and in the right
way, In Indispensable. By the right
time IL meant "betwesn wet and dry
1t will not do i'm this latitude to de.
pend upon the action of the frost IL
pulverize q stiff, clay soil, that when
plowed Is SO wet that the upturned
furrow glistens In the sunlight, OF
water Is seen In the furrOw. Mud
should in all cases he avoided, as IL Is
impossible 10 mellow such q soil In
the spring, however favorable the
weather may he.
Clay soils, where there is no sod 10
he turned under, should have rs much
| care taken i'm understanding them
As if a growing crop Of winter grain
were upon them. Freezing will then
I've benefit, and the soil will quickly
become dry enough in the spring to
seed with grain. Grain crops which
can get an early start i'm the spring
will keep ahead of both weeds and
and drouth As q rule. the soil that
needs Undertaking will be relatively
much more benefited If plowed by the
middle of October than during No
vember. In fall blowing, the burrows
should be well set up on edge for the
purpose Of ex pOsing the soil more fully
10 the action of the frost, which has a
wonderful power i'm breaking up the
solidity of the PARTICLES Of earth, and
thus disintegrating the hard, unfertile
cIOds. Where q sod or weeds and
stubble are turned under, more or less
understanding occurs, which Is Of
special advantage, and the decaying
sod-stems and leaves will be u full
equivalent for the expense Of blowing.
The importance of fall plOwing, in
order to tit the land for early seeding.
especially i'm this and more southern
localities, where early summer drOuths
are frequent, is greatly underestimated.
Fall plowing, says Mr.. Joseph Har-
ris. has an important bearing ON
some of our farm practices, but !
think We need not hesitate to pillow
land i'm the fall aud otherwise prepare
il for spring sowing. / feel sure that
il would have been five hundred dol
lars in my pocket IL had plowed all
my land last fall that l sOwed to bar
ley i'm the spring. / did plow some of
il, and there | had capital crop. But
on two other fields that were not
plowed until spring, the barley was
seriously injured by the Hessian fly.
If IL had been sown week or ten days
earlier, should have had good crop.
feed luite sure that am safe in I'D
wishing farmers GENERALLY TO plow, and
keep blowing during our splendid au-
tumn weather period"
A deep rich soil Is an important
matter to the one who cultivates IL.
The renter can make no greater mis-
take than to lease land that will pro-
duce but . low average crop to the
acre. If the roots of the corn plant, or |
other spring grains, do not go down,
then the top will not 60 up, nor will |
the resulting yield be profitable. War
ing, i'm his Elements Of Agriculture"
tersely remarks:
"If plants will grow better on q soil |
six inches deep than on one OF three |
inches. there Is no reason why they |
should not be benefited In proportion /
by disturbing the soil to the whole
depth to which roots will travel, even
to q depth of two feet. The minute
roOtlets of corn and most other plants
will, h allowed by cultivation, occupy
the soil to greater depth than this,
having fibre In nearly every cubic
inch Of the soil for the whole distance.
Roots penetrating the soil to such a
depth will anchor the plant with
greater stability, and be less subject to
irouth. than those which are spread
more thinly near the surface"
Much of the opposition to deeper
culture has come from those who.
lnowing that an inch of sub-soil ex-
,osed TO the action of the frosts during
he winter almos: invariably produces
rood results, have then acted on the
principal that IL little Is good. more
you'd be better. Six inches of sub
oil, when inverted on the surface-so:l.
nay increase the crop yield four or five
ears hence, but II will not do it now.
Many fail by blowing up too much Of
he sub-soil at once. One should use
Judgment, and begin cautiously, and
n q more systematic manner. Better
'egin by sub-soiling one fifth of the
liable upland. letting the rotation Of
rops be about as follows: Corn; oats, )
arley or fax; wheat: clover, timothy ,
nd other grasses, letting the fields re-
main i'm grass two years, or as long rs
My experience has been
hat the best results on clay land fol- !
DIV where not more than one inch Of :.
he suh-eeil IL thrown upon the surface
n the fill. and during the winter r. /,
elves n light top-tireesing Of well ,
otted manure. Ii
One Of the most important results
deeper tillage, where clover IL used :
u 1t always should be In rotation), b
he loosening Of the soil 40 that the : :
pots, instead Of sending down . sim :
lie tap-root, will branch out beneath !.
he surface into six, and sometimes :
en-, side roots, which incline strongly :
UPWARD nom the main primary root. /.
ling every part of the surlAce-soil
nth thread-like roots. The clover
liant Is Of itself q good sub-soiler. but :
welcomes - . strong ally and 90 :
'orker the plow. 1t Is by its aid that =
eavy clay soils are loosened % that | .
be roots can descend and bring up :
lincFal matters from . considerable (.
epth and leave them In the surhhce- =
,il, where they can be Qade ct once !.
- plant food. Il 10 in this '
~ that deeper culture, by mechani- Y
4 means. aids. In part. 10 snlving oae :
the most Interesting problemsEthst !,
!, "How can the farm be made 10 !,
WV. H. X. u Fdrps aid Fire. 4