Crawford avalanche., 1892-05-05

of the rain to penetrate. and the In
creased capillarity of the soil has bet
ter regulated the amount OF moisture
in il. or course other agencies were
at work in both cases; but the part
done by the plow is none the less real
or important.
But by keeping the desired point in
view in blowing, and p!owing accord
ingly, we may multiply the effect of
the plow on the moisture in the soil,
either to reduce or increase the
amount. If there is an excess, then
we are to plow in such a way as to
favor the escape of water. The most
convenient method of plowing Is TO
plow around the outside of the field
or Of the 'Iand." But on fiat land
this method is suicidal. 1t makes in
time a ridge around the margin of
the field, damming the'water on the
field. If we divide such land into
narrow lands and begin in the center,
throwing the furrow in, the water
not only can, but since it must run
down hill, it must drain to the
bitches along the fields. On fiat land
there is no danger of gullies by max
ing the land furrow at the same place
each year On land more rolling,
gullies may be avoided by moving
the land furrow little to either side
each year; this is easily done by making
the outside lands narrower or wider
Hilly fields, frequently having a
light soil, should be plowed in the
opposite way. They are apt to lack
moisture. because the water so readily
and rapidly flows off that much Of it
does not sink into the soil; and the
upper parts of the hills, at least, are
usually far above the influence Of the
ground water. In blowing such fields
we must also consider their aptness
to wash and gully. especially when
they are in cultivated crops 1t is
hare to keep these fields up, because
of the carrying away of the soil, If,
in blowing, we throw the furrow out
each year, we soon have an embank-
ment around the margin. This will
break the force of the currents from
the higher ground, retard the flow of
the water, and thus give it more time
to sink into the soil. The embank-
ment will also soon catch the greater
part of the soil brought down from
above, and by this means will be in
Instead Of the soil being carried off the
field and lost, it is deposited on an
overwhelming strip. This strip, thus
fertiliZed from above, will not need
manure; and twice the former amount
may be applied to the higher ground.
Thus this higher ground also will be
enriched, and for the further reason
that the wash from it is less.
1t is desirable that the furrows
should run up and down the hill, al
though some prefer the opposite. But
the water will cut across the burrows
and make deeper gullies than when
each furrow affords an exit for the
comparatively small amount falling
on it. 1t may be necessary, there
fore, to plow each year headland
along the foot Of the hill. To hold
the embankment well in place, ,seed
the margin-the fence row or the
bank Of the stream-well to grass.
The 500 will hold firm, and the grass
will catch much of the soil brought
over. 1t is apparent, that by SO
plowing, the foot Of the incline is be-
ing constantly raised, bringing the
land nearer to level and hence more
favorable to an ample supply of mois-
ture in the soil; while the loss from
washing and gullying is greatly
reduced. John NJ. Stahl, in Ameri-
can AQriculturist.