Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1896-01-14
ErTER SOIL CULTIVATION.
subsoiIing and its value--Improvements
in Plows.

9uUnOlttlE anu ITO hAPaSNNshaNafN-
in Plows.
The John Deer Plow Co.. Of Moline
Illinois, Ia sending out phamplet
entitled the Passing of the Plow, y
from which the following suggestions
are taken:
We believe that we are on the eve
Of revolution OF the system Of soil
cultivation, particularly In the
methods Of plowing, II indeed, the
revolution is not already begun. The
now famous remarks Of Secretary
Morton, that "thc plow has outlived
its usefulness" and that "the plow
used by the American farmer Is a
humbug and an enemy to fertility,
were not hastily formed conclusions;
but opinions based upon extensive
study OF the conditions and needs Of
American farms In relation to crop
productions, and they have set lot
OF men 10 thinking along these lines
The result will doubtless soon be seen
In the production Of really improved
field impliments which Will materially
change the method of plowlng and
cultivation, TO bring In practical use
the scientific knowledge relating
principally 10 the control Of d e
moisture In the soil by mechanical
means, rather than the use OF fertil-
izers, as we believe this II 10 he the
great factor In future crop production.
Secretary Morton further says: We
have improved our plows less than |
any other implement man uses. IL Is
very important, in my judgment, that |
pillow shall be invented that shall |
not leave the earth over which II |
passes 80 compacted by pressure as do |
the plows now In use. In shallow til !
lage, with cut OF say four inches In |
depth, the leverage OF the plow point |
against the earth, the whole weight |
or power OF the team producing a |
downward pressure at the cutting
edge OF share, leaves the base Of the
furrow that IN turned over smooth
and hard. In fact, II renders II |
almost imperyious 10 water. There
fore, when n torrential rainfall comes
upon land thus plowed and lying upon
land slope, the wash Is enormous.
III am inspired TO allude the In.
yentlve genius OF all interested TO
study the possibility Of a plow which
s1all loosen and tear up the bottom
OF the furrow TO u depth OF say two or
three inches below the cut OF the
plow. ] do not mean 10 have the
grlnnd turned up but simply TO have
IL loosened, 40 that the rain could per-
collte below the depth Of the furrow,
Instead OF being forced 10 run OF as
though the furrow was an cave.
trough. Possibly there may be some
kind OF revolving cutter attached
below the moleboard, or Il series OF
revolving cutters. The object that |
seek Is TO stir aud separate the earth
ata greater depth with the same
pl)w than II Is possible TO stir or
separate II with the coutrivances or
Implements for plowlng now In use"
Subsolllng. -Subsolllng Is not
turning Of the under soil 10 the sur.
facs-this would be only deep plow.
ins-but II Is simply a loosenlng Of
the sabsoil and allowing II To fall
bIck without bringing II TO the sur
face at all. This operation permits
the under soil to receive a greater
amount Of moisture and TO retain IL.
bee luse' being loose and loamy from
ehe operation OF subsolling, Il becomes
more like sandy soil, more retentiye
OF moisture. The benefit, therefore,
OF snbsolllng In sandy soil is that
the water Is more readily removed
from the the top soil, while II is, at
the same time, ptained for the future
use OF the crop The advantage OF
subsoiling heavy soil, on the other
hand Is that the water, instead OF be.
ing removed by surface drainage or