Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1890-04-19
Farm Eateretss,
Why We Cultivate.

were asked any considerable number
of farmers, the most frequent reply
would be, "To kill weeds I" so far
as expressed the reply would be cor
rect, but in truth it is only about the
average in importance to the many
benefits that thorough cultivation
confers. In reality soil is raw ma
terial that, by skillful manipulation,
may result in success, while if it had
been less understood and performed,
would have brought failure. 1t is
being daily demonstrated that there
can be no such thing as the thorough
breaking down and filming the soil,
although it possibly might be carried
beyond the point Of profit.
One of the beneficial effects of eul-
tivation comes almost with the plant
ing, or as soon as the shoots have APP
peared above the ground. The
heavy spring rains that usually are
frequent in May, have tendency to
form crust upon the surface, and
neglect to prevent this has an influ-
ence in retarding the growth of the
plants. The tiny rootlets have been
brought in contact with sufficient
soil, properly broken up, so that II
moisture is present, the dissolving of
the potash, acids and the like goes
on; but if a crust has formed, this az
ton is interfered with, in some cases
to suspension of growth, because the
air needed to act in conjunction with
the water, is prevented from reach
ing the under strata of the soil, and
chemical action cannot take place.
This cultivation of the soil reverses
the order of proximity to the surface;
that at the top charged with air is put
under, and that below is placed on
top, where the carbonic acid of the
air, with the water of the soil, eSerts
its solvent power upon the mineral
and vegetable plant food, and makes
it available, AMI therefore it matters
not whether the field is clean, or foul,
there must be lOosening of the soil,
making it light and pereambie by both
air and water before full crop, such
one as perfect cultivation would
give, can be realized.
In thoroughly stirring the soil the
dew is made captive, shown by the
fact that rain is not the entire source
ofthe moisture of the soil. The pre-
cipitation of dew is fully as great up
on fined soil as upon plants and on
grass, only one is more porous than
the other, and more quickly absorbs
it, and the more open and porous
the soil is kept after planting, the
better; for if the soil is too wet, the
lighter it is the greater will be the
circulation of air through it. And il
the soil is dry as we'll as porous, the
damper air will pass through it in
close proximity to the roots; and il
this soil is fine, it will retain for q
longer period the moisture it thus OBJ
tains, than it would if composed oil
great and small Jumps. To secure
this, the soil must be made to take
up dew and air, as well as rain; while
the mixing, and keeping the sol
properly and uniformly charged witt
these dissolving agents, is mechani
cal one, regulated by the individual
judgment of the farmer.
1t has been asserted that cultiva
ton is fertility, and to certain ex
tent 1t may yet be received as an &C
cepted fact; for fertile land may be
come so compact that air and moist
ure can only be present in such limit
ed quantities when needed by tn
crops, that the supply is wholly mad
equate to the demand, and the plan
makes but feeble growth at best
The same land, thoroughly cultivat
ed, would have returned an abund
ant harvest, simply because tn
breaking down and dissolving pro
cess had been facilitted, and the I'm
impeded roots were allowed free an,
extended growth, and the fine soil
charged with air and moisture, had
with the help Of the root itself, pre-
duced a chemical change that n
chemist can watch or initiate, and
vigorous growth resulted.
What your correspondent said il
regard to the effect of cultivation
frequent and thorough, upon the in
sect foes of both crop and farmer,
TO the point. The teaching of tn
immediate past is that a greater con
centration of labor upon crops. G.
more labor on less territory-wi
he the future farmers true guide