Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1895-05-09

A few years ago a discussion of the
merits of deep blowing and occasional
subsoil blowing was conducted in the
columns of a leading agricultural paper,
and a noted writer took the position
that subsoiling was useless, but he was
so ''worsted" in the investigation of the
subject that he has never written on
agricultural topics in that paper since.
No ryho is informed can doubt
for a moment that subsoiling is the
thing to be praeticed in connection
with deep blowing each season. Moist
ure is the great want of all growing
plants, and 10 store all moisture deep
down IN the earth where il will be kept
until needed at the surface is the
greatest problem TO be solved; and
nothing will so fully accomplish this
Indispensable requirement as deep
blowing and subsoiling.
Plant food is used by all plants
through the medium of moisture. and
without an abundant supply of moisture
AAC 1cI NAAAEt III NlAE EdLLA GaHuON pt
made available for plant growth. How
important then does il become TO econ
omiZe all moisture that comes down in
the rain and melting SHOWS that grow
ing plants may obtain all the fertility
needed. Experiments have been made
during the past season, and reported TO
the press and published, giving the
most encouraging results. In fact. the
economy of subsoil blowing is support
ed by every reason in nature, and found
true in practice.
When will farmers get ready to be-
gin this important work? VIII this
broad guage" system of attempting TO
farm more than an be properly done,
keep them from adopting a more inn
attempted there viii be little or no time
TO adopt improved methods that require
extra time to carry out. How much
better il would be to attempt only what
can be well done, and then give the
best care and attention. The very best
results may be confidently looked for.
Will the farmer be admonished TO
adopt what reason teaches are the only
successful methods? VIII the time ever
come when farmers will abandon the
az a. ohh aSopI z oAtS. Ihdl
viii ecu them the success that every
one desires.
The cost of blowing sufficiently deep
and ~subsoiling to loosen the ground
merely to a greater depth. is. when
considered in comparison with the great
results, ineonsiderable. If it is true
as ~clairned-and il cannot be well dis
puted-that moisture stored in the
earth is brought up by capillary action
when il is demanded at the surface,
then it is certainly rue hat those
means by which the moisture is stored
should be employed by all farmers IL
they wish TO keep mp with the advance
ment and progress that is being made
in all other lines. If you have an
abundant supply of moisture at all
times, you viii have the most abundant
yields of all farm crops, and viii never
want for fertility. as moisture is the
great distributor of plant food, as all
forms of plant growth are supported
by the moisture that absorbs the fer
tility in the earth and in the air. Let
us, therefore, conform TO the rules and
regulations laid down by the laws of
old nature, in order hat we may have
the most satisfactory results in all de-
partments of farm work.
Subsoiiing may no be required often
er than once in five or ten years. A
practical test alone will determine how
frequently it viii be necessary 20 do
this work. 1t is even more than prob
able that once IN ten years will be suf-
6cient, hut If required ~oftener, it AN
not be more than once in five years,
and this will entail so little extra labor
and require so little extra expense that
no farmer should hesitate to employ
this advanced method to increase the
yields of crops.
K. >. TEAGARDEy.
Boone, Iowa.