The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1888-12-13
chemical changes may 90 on always,

cnemleal changes may go ou always,
universally, for all crops, in all times, the
one purpose common to all who plough
the Soil Is to make loose, friable, we
had almos. said comfortable, seed bed.
But deep ploughing is d matter of very
recent origin. Jethro Tull used to spade
largely. and probably went deeper than
his contemporaries. but his main idea
was thorough tilthby frequent workings,
constantly stirring and remixiDg the soil.
Our forefathers did not plough deep;
they could not, for they had no proper
implements. From the day of Egypt's
supremacy, when she was the granary of
the world, 5000 years before the Chris
tian era, down to nearly theEclose of the
eighteenth century, the plough was nearly
the same; there had been little improve.
ment. Homer, it is true, speaks, of
ploughs covered with iron, and the
Romans, certainly, and Tubal Cain him.
self, possibly used that metal to point
them; but as no other implement in the
service of man has met With such mar.
vellous improvement within sixty years
as the turn plough, 30 none of such vast
importance had remained 80 nearly
stationary in its imperfections from the
beginning of time until late In the eigh-
teenth century. 1t is claimed that our
own Thomas Jefferson was the first to
apply scientific principles to the lines of
the mould. board 30 as to latgelY eeono.
mize power in the draught and start
improvements in the proper channel; and
vast as were the services that great man
rendered to the world, In this it might be
truly said they were all eclipsed. In
agriculture the world moves slowly al.
ways.
SOMETIMES DEEP PLoUGHING IS vALUA.
BILE.
Facts of absolute reliance can only be
established by years dhd years Of careful
observation, and this alone might teach
us that we have yet much to learn about
deep breaking. But while it has been
the intention of Tie aHthor to enter
his earnest protest against the ifidiacrimi.
nate practice of ploughing deep, at great
expense, on all lands and for all crops, it
is by no means his wish to depreciate. its
value where the proper conditions exist:
Sometimes, indeed not infrequently, the
most valuable; almost marvellous, results
follow deep and thorough breaking. The
editors of agriculture papets usually have
very superficial knowledge of practical
planting, but they catch up few general
terms and using the ideas which they
contain as their stock In trade; ride them
as hobbies to the serious detritheht of
their more simple.minded readers. Fol.
lowing in their wake, more ignorant if
possible, is class Of Office seekers,
Justly styled ebay seed" politicians, who
love to preside at agricultural conyen:
tions, and deliver orations, especially
about election times, but who are more to
be dreaded even than the editors Deep
ploughing has been one of their hobbies,
and they have ridden it with whip and
spur, doing no little harm 80 far as their
influence reaches 1t is against the
exaggerations of these gentry that the
writer takes his stand, and it is in the
effort to counteract these malign infuen.
ces that he may have given to this chap.
ter the appearance ofopposition to deep
ploughing. To correct any possible
misapprehension will close this chapter
with brief summary Of the merits and
disadvantages of deep ploughiDg.
/. Wet lands should never be plonghed
deep.
2. Lands with a stiff subsoil should
never be turned deep, and whether it will
pay to subsoil can only be determined BY
actual test in the field.
8. New grounds need never be plough.
ed deep; the expense will rarely be
recovered and sometimes positive injury
will follow.
4. Thin soils with poor subsoils should
not be ploughed deep unless manure is
used Ii berally.
s. Old land, which hiss been planted
for years with manure, will generally be
greatly benefited by deep breaking, and
the same may be said of naturally rich and
and deep soils where the surface has
been worn by repeated groupings.
6. Land should not be ploughed deep
for fall sown small grain. But q feed bed
should be made thoroughly fine to the
depth OF three or four inches.
7. Sod lands should not be ploughed
more than six inches for corn, but If corn
is continued on the same land the plough
should go deeper and deeper if fair
supply Of manure is given.
8. The farther South the deeper the
land should be ploughed for summer
crops. Among other advantages it makes
the after culture much easier.
9. ALI root crops require deep breaking
and good mannring.
10. Cotton (short staple, at least rare
ly suffers from deep breaking, though
frequently there is no perceptible benefit
and labor is thrown away.
IL. As rule always make afield test on
small area, and remember that no fact
in agriculture can be established BY less
than three successive experiments on the
same land.
y. Remember if you attempt to break
all your land deep, or even half of it, un.
less you can increase yous mule force
during the season ofpreparation, the area
you can plant will fall within such mar
row limits that little profit can be ex-