Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1884-02-09
Deep Flowing and Subsoiling.
To the Standard :

there is a communication from Viola
which should not pass unnoticed. If
the article had been anonymous, or
from some one inexperienced in the
methods Of farming, 1t might have been
passed without notice, but coming from
farmer as progressive and successful
as Mr.. S. McRamsey, it is calculated
to mislead, especially that portion re.
lating to subsuiling.
There is evidence in thu article itself
that Mr., Ramsey was mistaken and
that the bad condition and unproduc.
tiveness of his 55.acre plat was owing
to other causes than subsoiling.
Our brother rightly objects to plow.
ing lands when wet, and says:
"Just here, in my opinion, is where
the great trouble comes in, and where
most of our clay soil receives its great.
est injury. At this season Of the year
it is almost always wet. even if com.
paratively dry on the surface. But at
the depth we usually plow, when turn.
ed up it is often found to be wet,
which, in drying, becomes hard, and
no amount Of rain during the season
can reduce it to a mellow condition"
Then he says, in reference to his
55,acre plat, 81 plowed nay plat with
good Avry (better than the Dodge
as deep as l could plOw it."
May not the "deep as I could plow
it with good Avery" have had some
thing more to do than the subsoiling
with the "hard and brick like appear.
ances" Of the 55 acre plat, "all through
the season" "while the other was loose
and friable2"
Did not Mr.. Avery plow deeper than
Mr.. Dodge, and turn up more of that
"wet clay" which sin drying became
hard, and no amount of rain during
the season could reduce it to mellow
condition."
Your deep turning, my brother, was
your mistake, and not your subsoiling,
and you should not have been "satis
fed that subsoiling in the winter and
early spring would not do without fur
ther trial.
A person can, without the fear of
misleading any one, give his theory or
opinion about farming, or any other
matter, but in announcing the results
of experiments he should be cautious,
and not satisfied with merely one, or
even two trials.
The ever varying conditions of soil,
climate, and moisture, often make one
or more experiments unsatisfactory,
and it is only by continued trials and a
careful observance Of all the conditions
that safe and reliable results can be
reached. Therefore, people should be
careful in giving their judgement Of
the results of experiments made with,
Out the proper regard to the conditions
and surroundings,
The results of my experiments are
exactly opposite Mr.. Ramsey's. l have
tried subsoiling, both for wheat and
corn with more than satisfactory results.
What subsoiling | have had done has
paid better for the outlay than any
other work done on the farm. l will
give you two instances, under such
conditions and surroundings as there
can be no mistakiDg of the results.
In the early fall l commenced turn
ing for wheat, following with regular
subsoil plow, and when about half over
the field, | stopped the subsoiling, and
put both teams to turning. The wheat
was then sown broadcast and narrowed
in. When matured, that on the sub
soiled part of the field was about 4 Of
5 inches taller than that upon the un
subsoiled part. and the line Of differ
ence could be seen from one side Of the
field to the other. The heads upon the
subsoiled part were Ofan even height
while on the other they were uneven
although on the best part Of the field
did not haye the parts threshed sepa
rately, but am satisfied there were sew
eral bushels per acre in favor of tht
subsoiled.
The next spring subsoiled FIELD
for corn, and planted one adjoining
without subsoiling. The season being