The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1892-11-03
@S@.zx z1asx IN - 49, scsce1a%r-
NESRM eFOgAD
~ EaD GARDEN
Z ! DRAINAGE eY FLOWING.
How to Multiply the Eject Of the Piow
on the Moisture of the Soil.
4 = :. =

4
How to Multiply the Eject Of the Pioy
on the Moisture of the Soil.
BY keeping the desired point In view
In plowilg, and blowing accordingly
we may multiply the effect Of the pillow
on the moisture III the soil, either TO re
/ duce or increase the amount. John NJ
Stahl, progressive Illinois farmer, tell
m Tic American Agriculturist how t.
do it. dc says:
II there il al excess, then We are q
| plow in such way az to favor the es
cape Of the water. Tho most convenient
1 method Of plowinY is to plow around the
| outside of the field or of the land. But
on fiat land this method is suicidal. II
makes, III time, ridge around the mar.
gin of the field, dEinIning 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
bill it must drain to the bitches along
the fields On fat land there is no
danger of gullie3 by making the land
furrow at the same place each year. On
land more rolling, gullies may be avoid
ed 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 q light
soil, should be plowed in the opposite
way They are apt TO lack moisture
because tho wafer so readily and rapidly
flows Off that much of it does not sink
into the soil; and tho upper parts of the
hills, at least, are usually far above the
influence of the ground water. In plow-
ing such fields we must also consider
their aptness to wash and gully, es-
pecially when they are in cultivated
crops. 1t is hard to keep these fields up,
because of the carrying away of the soil.
If in blowing we throw tho furrow out
each year, we soon have an embank-
ment around the margin This will
break tho force Of the currents from the
higher ground, retard the flow Of the
water, and thus give it more time tosink
into the soil The embankment will
also soon catch tho greater part of the
soil brought down from above, and by
this means will be increased in extent
and effectiveness. Instead of the soil
being carried Off tho field and lost. it is
deposited on an ever widening 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 tho further
reason that the wash from it is less.
1t is desirable that tho burrows should
run up and down tho hill, although some
prefer the opposite. But the water will
cut across tho burrows and make deeper
gullies than when each furrow affords
an exit for the comparatively small
amount falling on 1t. 1t may be neces-
sary, therefore, to plow each year a head
land along The foot of the hill To hold
tho embankment we'll in place, seed the
margin-the fence row or the bank Of
the stream-wcll to grass. The sod will
hold firm, and tho grass will catch much
of the soil brought over 1t is apparent
that by SO blowing the foot of the in
cline is being constantly raised, bring
ing the land nearer to a level and hence
mere favorable to an ample supply Of
moisture i'll the soil; while the loss from
washing and outlying is greatly re-
duced.