The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1882-08-10
Why Tillage Promotes Growth.

1t is often claimed that to a very great
extent tillage may be made to take the
place of fertilizers. While this may be
considered an extreme view of the case,
there is no doubt that tillage is highly
beneficial. 1t would not be well to use
less manure but if connection with the
use of manure more thorough tillage
were practised, the yield of the hoed
crops would unqucstionably be largely
increased.
This subject is now of special interest.
The character of the seed to be used was
determined long ago, and the fertilizers
have already been applied. All that re-
mains to be done is to cultivate and har.
vest the crop. If now by tillage a con.
siderable increase in the yield can be Sc.
cured, it will add largely to the profit OF
the cultivator.
That tillage does increase the yield OF
crops there. can be no question. The
fact has been proved by a great number
of practical tests. But for the benefit OF
our younger readers it may be well to
point out how it is possible for cultiva-
ton to make plants more productive.
Plants are formed from substances OBJ,
tanned from the air and the soil. The
materials which enter into the structure
of plants are of two kinds, commonly
called organic and inorganic. The or,
ganic matter is obtained largely from the
air, though Il portion of it is taken from
the land. The inorganic materials ara
obtained from the soil. Either. of thes.
classes of material may be applied to the
land and made useful to crops, in the
form of manures or fertilizers. No ex,
cess in the supply of one class of mate;
rails can compensate for a deficiency in
the quantity of the other class.
Not only must there be an abundant
quantity of these materials within reach
of the plants, but they must be in a con
dition to be readily utilized. They must
be made very fine, so as to be readily
soluble in water, in order that the
moisture from dews and showers may
dissolve them, and thus fit them for the
Immediate use of plants.
In average soils, plants are more like
ly to suffer from the van of the inor-
ganic than from q deficiency of the Or
ganic materials. All soils of anything
like ordinary fertility contain large
quantities of the inorganic elements of
plants-sufficient to supply the wants of
crops for an indefinite period. But these
elements are closely locked in the soil,
and only q very small quantity becomes
available at any me time. The forces
of nature, by means of the frost end
sunshine and storm are constantly at
work setting these elements free; but on
land which has long been cultivated, and
from which the accumulations of the
past have been removed, their action is
far too slow to supply the growing crops.
But tillage hastens the liberation of fer
tilizing elements which are locked in
soil, and also enables the land to absorb
large quantities of fertilizing gases from
the air. Hence it hastens the growth of
plants and renders them more productive
than they otherwise would be.
During the next few weeks farmers
will have abundant opportunity to test
the efficiency of tillage in promoting tho
growth and increasing the yield of theii
crops. That an increased yield, if OBJ.
tanned by the inexpensive method of cul.
tivation, will greatly increase the profits
of the crop, is evident. Frequent and
thorough culture is what the growing
plants now require. Nothing else can
atone for lack of this, and in no other
way can the crop be SC %cheaply, quickly
and certainly improved.-M. Y. Ecan-
liner.