The Cecil Whig., 1884-02-09
CHIEF POINTS OF GOOD FARMING.

CHIEF POINTS OF GOOD FARMING.
n Young farmer desires us to nan The
three great essentials of good farming
in tillage, that by aiming at these he
his request it may be stated that there
are more than three, any one Of which
beug omitted there would be partial or
entire failure; but perhaps the most i'm
portant of all would be-first, thorough
undertaking; second, thorough h cultva-
tion, and thirdly proper rotation. Nearly
as impol tant as any of these are the
timely performance of the season, and
the use Of manure as fertilizers. Taking
them in the order in which we have
named them
l. Undertaking, on most soils, is in
dispensable. The only exception is on
land which, having porous subso!l, al
lows all surplus water from rains to sink
away at once, leaving only what water
the land will hold like sponge
If superahundant water remains in
the subsoil several days (Which is easily
known by observing how long it is held
in post holds or other small excavation),
draining is required. Well drained land
admits Of cultivation early in Spring,
almost as soon rs the frost disappears
from it; uLdlained ard water soaked, it
may be necessary to wait two or three
weeks, or even longer; drained soil is
warmed at once by sunshine; undraiued
is kept cold long time in evaporating
the water: drained soil becomes porous,
admits air and allows the manure to act
at once on the GROWN. plants; uudrained
excludes air from the soil and the iertil-
izers remained locked under water and
are OF little Or no use. Drainin. length
ems the season by allowing the working
of the soil weeks sooner than water
soaked. AS general Iule, thorough
tile draining pays for its entire cost in
three years. in the increase of crops and
sometimes in two years. Much land,
supposed TO be dry enough, is loaded
with surplus water in sllirg Il foot or
two down dry Gu top. This condition
may be seen by digging holes in Spring
two or three feet deep, aud observing
how long water remains in them lefore
evrporating Or slowly soaking away.
,. A more common deficiency is
want of thorough pulverlzation. The
fine roots of plants caunot properly OBJ
tain food from haId cluds and Jumps.
Finely reduced soils hold moisture like
sponge, give it off as needed. and PIE
vent drouth. Thorough mellowing of
the soil has in some instances nearly
doubled the wheat crop, and is especially
useful for clay soils. A correspondent
stated some years ago, as the result of
many experiments. that one dollar in ex-
ira work, with good pulverizing tools.
ADDED from five to ten bushels per acne
to the wheat crop. Root crops have
been doubled by reducing hard soils to
fine powder in connection with the ap
piled manure. One of the greatest and
NEST important results of thorough cul-
ture is the prevention of the growth of
weeds, and i'll giving clean and hand
some fields, with large crops.
3. Rotation has the one great advant-
age of promoting success without addi-
tional expense. 1t consists i'll the eXer-
else of the thought derived from expeI-
ience. y proper successiua Of crops,
with other essentials, gives heavy re-
turns in all; while repetition OF the same,
or improper succession, tends TO eAhaus-
tion or failure. y good, well devised
rotation tends largely to the exclusion -.
perennial as we'll as annual wecdsA
These three points are iudi>peL3ab!e.
So is the use of manure, and hence the
Importance of saving aud apply iug prop
eriy all that can be made. Waste ty
washing is to be avoided, and waste by
applying and turning under in large
Jumps. Here the necessity of pulveIi-
cation comes in. The timely perform
ance of work is a!l-essential; IL poor crop
in dry season, the growth of weeds,
the waste of ripened products, aud a
general arrangement of the whole ma
chine may result from delay.
The proceeding remarks apply to till
age. in the management of domestic
animals. which is often the greatest
basis OF farm profits, it is essential to
procure an infusion OF the best trecGs;
to supply them with tie regularity of IA
machine, with wholesome, we'll pIi pared
food and pure water, and to give hem
cleah and comfortable quarters. Much
more might be said on all tie preceding
points, but the suggestions offered are
probably as the inquirer desired, and we
trust they may be useful to others
TpYGf!U GPHfl,jDau