The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-06-24
Win a klingle. klangle. klinglc.
Changing The Conditions of Soils.

Philadelphia Record
The hard. crusty surface of the soil. after
warm day succeeds a shower is due TO inn
proper drainage. The ground may APP
parently drain off the surplus water easily
but thai which does go down into the soil
must find an outlet below. Ii the subSoil is
of stiff clay. or impervious, the upper soil
will be slow in absorbing heat, while the
crust that quickly forms over the surface not
only prevents evaporation but also acts a. a
barrier TO the entrance of the air, which is
necessary 10 the health and vigor OF the
growing plants.
Baking of the soil may be remedied by
thorough drainage and the application of
lime Many farmers who have drained their
Lands by the used of drain-tile find, however
that the soil though more easily worked and
cultivated. does not become perfectly free
from the formation of crusty surface. This
IL due to the compactness of the subsoil,
which does not allow the surplus TO pillow
away as rapidly as ii should. Ii may be
remedied by first blowing the surface soil
and following with sUisoil pillow, which,
with the thorough Understandings, will soon
render the soil friable and easily cultivated.
Drainage, however, while carrying off the
surface water also admits the air. BY deep
tillage the air is assisted in penetrating every
particle of the soil, and changes the element
of which the soil is composed When lime is
used on heavy. compact soils, il changes the
character of the substances which have 80
tenaciOusly resisted all efforts To subdue
them. 1t gradually works forward being
carried through the soil by the rains. Lime
alone may not aid fertility to some soil i'm
which II exists "a an insOluble carbonate. Ii
Is in changing its own condition that in con-
DectiOn with the free oxygen of the air. il
performs service in liberating many inert
and dormant elements that cause the soil 10
be of an undesirable character. Some farmers
have not found lime beneficial on certain
soils and crops, but this results from the fact
that lime acts best when the conditions are
most favorable for that purpose. Hence the
soil that i well drained. thoroughly plowed.
and the subsOil rendered porous, will often
be changed in character and texture by the
nse Of lime when other methods have failed.
FROST i another excellent agent in assisting
10 ehange the condition of the soil. Land
plowed deep late in the fall, and left with
tie burrows ridged, will expose greater sur
face 10 the frost and be more readily pulver-
lied. This j. great saving of labor in the
spring. but il does not prevent the soil from
baking on the surface after the growing sea
son begins. The difficulty must he overcome
by drainage and the chemical action of lime
- Some alkaline substance that Is easily
united with the vegetable acids that exist in
k0ils. Hard soils should always be worked
over aft. rain This not only keeps the
surface toose, but permits the soil TO absorb
greater amount OF moisture from the succeed
ing rain, a. well as assisting in the distribu-
tiOn Of moisture from below by capillary at
from the atmosphere. Deep tiIage does not
require the turning up OF the cold subsoil
but pu+~eT7kes-it by means of the subsoil
pl0W.. The toughest kind of soil may I'm
this manner be made seryiceable for all Kinds
of crope