The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1888-02-28

tai to enter q the 500, m the
hind end perpendicular to throw it
over; the intermediate surface chang
ing gradually from the horizontal to
the perpendicular" A short time
after his return he consulted a cele-
brated mechanic by the name of Rit-
tenhouse, as to whether his ideas
we're founded upon correct mathe-
NAUTICAL principles. After a careful
examination they were found to be,
and in 1898 this theory of Jefferson's
was reduced to practice. Consequent
ly the modern improved turn pillow is
purely American, and every farmer
ought to feel thankful that we had a
Jefferson. An imperishable monu-
ment a. high as the highest should be
erected to perpetuate his memory
with a pillow for a cap-stone. We will
let this suffice for the construction of
the plow. Every principle is embraced
in this theory of Jefferson's. There
only remains for you to arrange them
at proper angles and lengths, and OF
good material to construct a first-class
pillow.
There are various notions as to the
depth we should pillow. Some are of
the opinion that small grain require
shallow blowing, while these of more
vigorous growth require deep blowing.
l am satisfied that all lands should be
broken to a depth that would hold all
the water that usually falls during a
rain, say ten inches deep. The reason
for this is to prevent washing, and to
retain all the elements of plant food
adhering to or commingling with the
rain in its descent through the atmos-
phere, and store in the soil where the
plant may draw from it as it needs it.
The depth of blowing to give a
capacity sufficient to store away all of
it, and not let it pass over to be stored
by your neighbor who plows deeper
than you, is the proper one Should
you let the time pass to secure the
best results from the growing vege-
tation then plow. at any season when
the ground is in the order named.
Should it be too dry for first break
ing, 60 back and unbreak, provided,
always, that the vegetable matter first
turned under has decayed. Some
object to blowing to a depth of ten
inches or more, fearing that the fer
tility of the soil held in solution will
sink down out of reach of the plants.
Without any data or extended chemi-
cal knowledge to support us, we ad-
here to the theory that those proper
ties are leached out neal the surface,
and that leached water at a great
depth contains little OF no plant food.
1t may be questionable whether break
ing to a greater depth than ten inches
would pay for the trouble. We do
know that the storage for water would
be greater, and that through capillary
attraction the plant would be supplied
longer during a drouth, even if it
were poor in heterogeneous matter.
There is another reason of greater
moment still for deep blowing. The
salts in solution in the earth are con
stantly rising to the surface, through
some agency, possibly the suns heat,
where the water is carried off by
evaporation. This is notification.
These salts are retained at the surface
until rain falls to dissolve them. If
the ground is broken deep enough to
hold the salts and rain water in solu-
ton, they sink down to rise again.
This process is eve going on and it's
Office is to open the ground somewhat
after the manner of leaven in bread.
Now if the ground is broken too shall
low to hold this solution, the water
off, carrying these valuable prop
critics of plant food with it to enrich
some other place properly prepared to
receive it.
Always SOW clover with small grain
to do the subsoiling. Glover is the
grandest servant of the farmer. 1t
collects nutriment for the cereals at
both ends. The top takes in the
gaseous matter as it passes, and the
root brings up mineral matter for a
foot or more deep, and delivers them
where the plant can get them. This
is no digresion from the subject, for
this plant takes the place of the sub
soil pillow. Previous to the introduce
ton of clover in my section, subsoil-
ing was considered a necessity, but is
now superseded by the tap-root of this
plant.
There is one important matter
that I wish to earnestly impress on
the minds of the farmers in the dis
cussion of blowing. 1t is of vital in
terest that we thoroughly pulverize
the land to the depth of that of the
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