The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-05-04
AGRICULTURAL.
The Foundation Of Agriculture,

The farmers of Vermont are now
engaged in preparing their land for
crops and putting them in. They la
Dor under one disadvantage which far
mers further south have exemption
from in great measure, the time for
preparing the soil for crops is usually
very short, and there is constant
temptation in the spring to neglect
what is really the foundation of all real
success in agriculture, thorough prep
aration of the soil. A great deal of the
success or failure of the crops of Yer
mont farmers in the coming season will
depend upon the thoroughness of the
tillage before the crops are put in. In
the case of hoed crops good deal can
be done by deep cultivation just after
planting, and this is elways to be COM
mended except under rare conditions.
But let every farmer who reads this re-
member that the finer the soil, the bet
ter the crop. Or put in another form,
tillage is manure. And this is singu-
larry overlooked by our farmers. They
will 60 and buy expensive fertilizers
and put them upon poorly prepared
land, thus wasting good money, to say
nothing of time spent uselessly, and
the disappointment and loss which arc
pretty sure to result. Try simple ex-
pertinent: Take piece of land and
upon one-half of it put good dressing
of fertilizers, but do not harrow much
nor try to make the soil fine. Prepare
the other half for crops by the most
thorough tillage, that is plow well,
twice if that will make the soil finer
then harrow all you think you can af-
ford to, then harrow as much more, but
put on no fertilizers. Treat the land
the same in ell other respects and see
whether tillage is not manure. Then
don't let up on the cutivating of the
corn and potatoes this year.
Push the weeder and the cultivator
for all they are worth. Not deeply af-
ter the plants get up, but do the deep
work before the crops are put in and
before they come up.
1t was Jethro Tull in 1873 who first
announced the value of tillage. His
book New Horse Hoeing Husbandry"
is one of the most valuable ever writ
ten in its direct results upon sgricul-
ture. In fact the modern practical and
scientific world is just coming to appre-
ciate the work of Jethro Tull.
1t will be great day for the farm
ers of this country when they place as
great value on the physical condition of
the soil as they do on its richness in
plant food. In truth the former is of
greater Importance than the latter.
Good crops cannot be grown on hard,
lumpy soil, no matter how rich it is in
plant food. For such soil cannot re-
tain moisture, and moisture or water is
the basis of all plant growth. How
quickly hard Jumps dry up And when
rain comes, the lumpy soil does not
retain it, but let's it all run off. Then
the mellow soil holds more air, and air
is of the greatest Importance in plant
growth. Then the fine rootlets of the
plants can 60 all through the fine soil,
they can take firm hold of the ground,
and all the processes of plant growth
are better carried on in mellow than in
hard soil. Therefore whatever else
you give your crops, give them fine
soil to grow in. 1t will pay you big
interest to spend time in giving the
soil a thorough preparation. Don't
think the harrow is tool of little con-
sequence. If your land is hard and
gets lumpy, make drag, weight it
we'll and wear down the Jumps as much
as you can. Remember the finer the
soil, the better the crop.