The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1903-05-15

The great body OF farmers pillow
only deep enough to supply y good
mouthful IT the first heavy rain
that falls, which sweeps away, to
some lower place where II is not
needed, the very cream OF tue hill.
sides. a permanent sterility is
thus produced aud hldeous de-
tormity fastened upon The land
seapc.
What Is the philosophy OF deep
plowlngs! 1t is very simple. BY
it crops are enabled To re as t
droughts, for place is prepared
by deep blowing for the retention
Of moisture. Deep blowing gives
greater room for the roots CT the
pants to travel in the search of
nutriment. Deep blowing supplies
drainage aud it Increases the ca
pacity OF the soil for retaining and
utilizing fertilizers. 1t is too often
the case that farmer will cultivate
his land as though he owned only
four inches Of surface. A farm
may be doubled in its productive
capacity 10y claiming and making
use Of twelve inches by the owner.
The Inauguration OF deep plow-
ing in England has doubled the
yield OF wheat and other crops.
Oftentimes Il depth ottwcnty inch |
es is reached by the pillow. IN In
stance is given whore a piece OF
land near london could, with diff
ficulty on account of its sterllity,
be rented for 50 per acre, but after
it had been plowed to a depth OF
twelve or fifteen inches by steam
it commanded rental Of SIS an
acre.
Professor Mapes, who gave much
attention to the effects of deep
blowing, demonstrated that
droughts could be made compar.
atively harmless by preparing a
deep bed in which the plants
should grow. In this way the
roots are increased in number and
l7sii4at.-fHtt- their capacity for the sus.
tenauce OF the plant Is multiplied
many fold. II one has a soil so
compact or SO filed with water as
t. exclude the air and 1t is broken
up and pulverlsed deeply, so as to
\ invite The roots OF the plant down.
ward below the usual access OF air
the penetrating roots sometime:
absorb some OF the mineral com
pounds OF the earth and the struc
ture Of the plant is injured, Or
such soil deep plowing should b
done gradually. The pillow shoulc
go Que or two inches every year, s,
: that the chemical changes OF tn,
atmosphere may destroy the pois
onous mineral salts. Where Their,
is no danger, however, in turning
up poisonous mineral compound
deep blowing attracts the roots o
the plant downward to a plan
, where they will find supply o
moisture during the dry reason
Professor Mapes thinks the true the
cry i TO provide a deep, thorough
drainage for all soils, not natural.
dry, to a considerable depth OF tn
surface, and then, by degrees, breaI
up the subsoil until deep bed q
dry, warm air-exposed soil is Sc
cured.
Continuous S ha low cultur
= means proverty for the farmer
|. sterlity for the land and destitu
r ton !or the people. Every plac
where shallow blowing is done wi
: show smaller yield in the prC
ducts Of the farm, and the farm
where this is the practice are b,
comibg sacrificed with gullits, alon
which the very life-blood of tn
soil trickles away. Sterility OF tn
soil means ignorance, poyert.
wretchedness and ultimate degri
dation among the tilers OF III
i earth. All the ocial virtues an
I h blessings OF an advance
civilization are more or less depel
dent upon the manner in whic
the soil is cultivated. Deep poy
Ing is deep sense, a sure guarant
OF success in the present and Il
v only means Of assuring the highe
development and well-being of OF
f. race in the fulure.-Southern Farm
Is or.
.a-