The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-10-28

1t rarely pays to subsoN in the
spring. and 1t is never advisable tc
use the subsoil plow when the subsoil
is fully saturated with water, even
though the surface be fairly dry. Un-
der such conditions of plowing the
clay subsoil is pressed and packed
when the object is to pulverize it and
allow the air to act upon 1t.
Experience Agrees With Theory.
No principle in agriculture has
been more thoroughly demonstrate ID
than the value Of deep, thoroughly
pulverized seed bed.
The Romans plowed on an average
inches deep-always three times for
crop. and in stiff lands nine times.
They did not call inches 'plowing;"
1t was only "scarifying.'
The Flemish farmers were the first
to follow the better. lines Of agricul-
ture after the Dark Ages. They de-
voted their efforts to three main
points: (1) The frequent and deep
pulverization Of the soil. (2) the ac-
cumulation Of manure. and (3) the
destruction Of weeds.
A deeper and more thoroughly pull
| verified seed bed was the foundation
upon which England built an improv-
ed agriculture, and this principle has
been generally accepted there for
more than one hundred and sixty
years, until the average production
has increased nearly Ave fold.
A late letter from Hon. William
Saunders. direceor OF the Central Ex-
pertinent Farm. Ottawa, Canada
states that farmers usually plow shall
lowly Immediately after harvest (Au-
gust) Ito preserve moisture and de-
| stroy Weeds In October they
commonly plow inches deep. Any
plowing done In the spring months Is
usually shallaw not more than q
inches Deep" Eight inches Of break
Ing In October In Canada. where
frosts penetrate 8 to 1 inches deep
Is better for moisture storage than
plowing to depth Of Is inches in
the Southern States.
The writer has visited a number OF
Southern agricultural colleges this
year. In every case the directors OF
their experiment stations favored q
deep and thoroughly prepared seed
bed.
The Georgia Experiment Station
bulletins repeatedly urge a deep. mel.
low, and rich seed bed for corn, and
they insist that II the soil Is not nat.
urally such 1t should be made so by
deep tillage and the addition of hu.
mus.
| Bulletin No. SO Of the Georgia Elk.
pertinent Station, On Cotton" state.
that fourteen years Of experimental.
tion have justified certain conclusions
that may be accepted as practicall,
final" The following is one Of them
Thorough breaking and comminglins
OF the upper soil. gradually increasing
the depth to or 10 inches usin,
plow and harrow. is more effectiv,
than deeper but less thorough pulver
izing.
On the sugar plantations Of Louis
lana the tillage for cane averages /:
to 15 inces In depth.
On the Eva plantation. in the Ha
waiian Islands, the average depth .
plowing is 80 inches. This plantatio,
produces the largest crops Of suga
cane to the acre i'm tn world.
In the Farmers Cooperative Dem
onstration Work the importance of ;
deep and throughly prepared sect
bed like garden has been mos
widely demonstrated. Thousands @
tests have been made each year b,
exact and painstaking farmers to ar
extent that leaves no possible room
| FOR doubt as to the great value of ;
deep and thoroughly prepared scct
bed.
| Concrctely stated, a deep, thorough.
ly pulverzed seed bed filed with hu-
mus has the following advantages:
| CD II provides more food. because
| IL incrpasec chemica1 ooti,,, ,,l ,.,,.,