Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-03-09
Flowing the Land.

There are few points in agriculture
about which farmers differ more in
practice than blowing and this diff
ference, like most others, occurs from
want of reflection on the principles
that should govern each particular
case. The breaking up, or turning
the surface Of the cultivated land,
either by the plow or spade, for the
reception of seeds, is a process 80
universally practced, and indispen.
sable TO the well being OF crops, that
il seems incredible that such a com
mon and simple business should not
be universally understood and yet
it cannot be denied that frequent and
great mistakes are often committed
in the matter, which must proceed
either from Incidence or ignorance.
As the surface Of the earth is the
natural station for most plants, and
where they obtain the necessary ele-
mentary food for their development.
certain conditions Of the surface soil
are absolutely essential. Humidity,
heat and air are indispensable both
TO the iibrous roots, which are cx.
/ tended into the earth, and TO the
head which is expanded in the air.
There is always more danger TO
/ plants from an excess Of moisture than
/ from almost any other natural cause.
/ because when the soil is saturated
with water the access Of the air j.
/ prevented, and the small fbrous
roots actually chokcd, il may be said,
F for want Of breath, languish and die.
+ That porous, loose soil is requisite
for the free growth Of all crops is an
F axiom in agriculture, and it is on
this well known necessity that all our
operations Of ploEing, diiching, etc,
/ are based.
Soils are various in quality, and
| particularly In texture and consist.
ency. The success Of a crop depends
as much upon the texture of the
land as upon any other characteristic.
For where air and rain can pcrmcatc
freely, a constant supply Of carbonic
acid is formed by the contact OF the
air with the humors in the soil. and
the rain brings down ammonia. which
/ is readily carried To the roots Of the
crops. But on the other hand. if
the soil Is compact, baked hard by
+ drought, in consequence Of having
been previously stirred when too wet.
no plant can flourish. The conclu-
sion therefore il. that plowing should
/ never be lmperyious to air from being
saturated With water, nor impervious
10 both air and water from It's dry.
baked condition. Sandy, loose soils
are never liable TO bc drenchcd with
water, except for only short time
after a heavy rain. All the water
absorbed hy such a soil sinks deep
into the subsol, and far below the
roots of ordinary crops. Such soils
never need subsoiling, and such work
is generally n waste Of labor. In the
South there are many very large
tracts of such lands where the cul.
ture is easy and done at moderate cx-
pense ; but such description of lands
are easily exhausted unless their fer
tility is kept up 10y frequent manur-
ing with such fertilizers as contain
an abundance Of vegetable matter
and potash.
Stiff black and clay soils should, in
the South, be we'll and deeply plowed
during the Winter. and allowed TO
remain exposed TO the ameliorating
influences Of the rain aud frosts. that
they may he disintegrated and ren
dered loose and porous. One good
plowing on such lands will be worth
more To the crops than an expendi-
ture Of 200 pounds per acre of the
best guano sold. But sandy, light
soils require no such exposure. and
as a general thing the less they are
exposed 20 the heavy washing winter |
rains the better. When plowed in |
Winter such soils are liable to have |
their best qualities washed away, and |
therefore during this season they
cannot be kept too close and level IL
1t Is intended that they should be |
cultivated in the Spring.
While the great object of plowing
Is to render the soil loose and pervi- |
Gus to air and moisture, this can be |
attained only by the timely applica.
tion of efficient implements. The |
soil Is sometimes in Ct state to be |
worked, and sometimes il is not, and |
this must be determined by the farm.
er, on each occasion for himself. |
The condition OF the land depends |
so much upon the character of the |
weather, that blowing cannot always |
be done at times that are most con-
venient TO the farmer. When land |
Is very vet IL never should be plow-
ed as 1t will inevitably cake, and be |