Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1892-05-04

oil the rain TO penetrate and the in
creased capillarity Of the soil has bet
ter regulated the amount of moisture
IN it. OF course other agencies were
at work IN both cases: but the part
done by the pillow is none the less real
or important.
But by keeping the desired point in
view in blowing, and blowing accord
angly, 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 pillow in such a way as to
favor the escape Of water. The most
convenient method of blowing is to
pillow around the outside Of the field
or of the Gland" But on fiat land
this method is suicidal 1t makes in
time 4 ridge around the margin Of
the field damming the water Oh 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
ing the land furrOW at the same place
each year On land more rolling,
gullies may be avoided by moving
1he land furrOW a little TO either side
each year: this is easily done by making
the outside lands narrower or wider.
Hilly fields frequently having q
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
10 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,
III 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
10 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
creased in extent and effectiveness.
Instead Of the soil being carried off the
field and lost, it is deposited on an
overwhelming strip. This strip, thus
fortified 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 burrows
should run up and down the hill, al
though some prefer the opposite. But
ItJae 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 a 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-Wel to grass.
The SOC will hold firm, and the grass
will catch much of the soil brought
over. 1t is apparent, that by SO
blowing, the foot Of the incline is be-
ing constantly raised, bringing the
land nearer to a level and hence more
favorable to an ample supply Of mois-
ture in the soil; while the loss from
washing and outlying is greatly
reduced. John NJ. Stahl, il Ameri-
can Agriculturist.