The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1897-04-30

The following short essay was prepared
by Mr.. James H. Maxwell and read be-
fore the Cecil Farmers Club, which held
its April meeting at his place:
We have had many subjects to discuss. The
one think most important to the farmer is the
cultivation of the soil.
In my opinion it is not how much manure we
use on our crops, if there is not thorough cul-
tiVation CT the soil.
In the spring we seem in n hurry to get the oats
in, and out of the way, in order to get to our
other work, but find cultivatng the ground
after blowing for my oats has yielded me ten
more bushels to the acre, than when l only
plowed, drilled and rolled
In reference to the corn crop, do not think we
can get the soil too mellow for the grain. think
we can cultivate up until the 10th of July with
profit.
As to the wheat crop, think as soon as the oats
are off the ground it is best to pillow, and then use
a cultivator to keep the weeds and oats from
getting start, and there is much better chance
to get a good crop of grass the next season. And
with barn yard manure, ten loads to the acre and
800 pounds of bone, we will be in good shape to
have a good crop of hay the following season.
tivated, we come short of vegetables on our table
unless we depend on our stores.
Giving the ground thirty bushels of lime to the
acre every five years. we will see our money
| after good living.
About one hundred years ago this
theory of thorough cultivation was advo-
Gated and practced by school of dis
ciples who contended that thorough cul-
tivation and pulverizing the soil was all
sufficient for its fertilization. The theory
had able supporters and it has never been
altogether denied but to very great ex-
tent neglected. While the old theorists
may have gone too far in claiming that
thorough cultivation or pulverization of
the soil acted as a sufficient fertilizer, the
fact remains that there may be very much
gained by the thorough culture process
that farmers spend great deal of money
to supply by adding nnanures. Thorough
cultivation has two properties that go
toward increasing the crop. The thorough
pulverization of the surface disinteerates
| tAS oOii ~ tHal VIC al pSISli dlSS anu
comes in contact with every minute par
ticle of it. The moisture of the atmos-
phere is charged with nitrogen and when
the atmosphere penetrates the refined
soil it is cooled rapidly and deposits dew
to the depth it penetrates, and the soil
having been thoroughly pulverized a
much larger quantity of dew is deposited
than if it is left in hard, impenetrable
Jumps. OF course the more dew remains
in the soil the larger the quantity of III
trogen is stored and remains as plant
food.
The earth is constantly giving up its
moisture stored i'll the subsoil, to the sur
face which is dried by the suns rays.
The very fine filth on the surface acts also
as a mulch and prevents rapid evapora-
ton. Thus from two opposite sources the
puiverization of the soil aids fertilization.
From the atmosphere and by arresting
evaporation from below and fixing the
nitrogen it contains by the vegetable
matter that is in more or less quantities
near the surface. So we find there is a
great deal of philosophy and agricultural
science in Mr. Maxwell's theory of thor
ough culture.