Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1909-02-26

In regard to the question Of deep or
shallow blowing, according to w. K
Gilbert. Of Il Canadian experiment sta
ton, it is essential to discriminate
clearly between deep blowing and deep
stirring. There is a vital difference
between the two so much 50 that,
whereas perhaps not one farmer in n
NuudrLI could from his practical eX-
perience urge the adoption Of the form
er. there must be very few who could
not consclcntiously speak favorably Of
the beneficial influences of the latter.
Much, of course, depends upon the
nature of the land, Il particularly OF
the subsoil, but the stirring Of the lat
ter to a depth Of even two inches or
three inches below the ordinary fur
row can scarcely fail to lave a useful
effect in promoting the prosperity Of
the succeeding crops, for the reason
that the plant roots to extend over q
large area require less exertion In
search of nutrlment and moisture
Obviously it must be a very friable
subsoil hat would not derive benefit
from deep stirring at occasional in
tervals.
The objection to deep blowing, on the
other hand, is that instead Of loosen
ing the subsoil and leaving it where
it was it brings it to the surface and
involves the buryiDg of the more fer
tile top soil to a depth at which the
nutr1ment it contains is available to the
plants only after they may be said to
have emerged from the delicate and
precarious stages of development
The new soil that is brought to the
top would, in the course Of time, no
doubt, become as mellow in texture and
as rich in elements Of plant food as
that which 1t has displaced, but a GER
tain period must elapse before this can
be accomplished.
In the meantime, the farmer brings
this hungry soil to the surface and
incurs the risk of reaping inferior crops
until by heavy expenditure In t1llage
and liberal manuring he has enriched
and refined the new surface soil.
Deep blowing, therefore, Is IN aver
age cases to be avoided for the two
fold reason that it involves diminished
yields and increased expenditure to
the farmer for at least one rotation.
Scientifically as well as practically
the bringing up of the subsoil to the
surface is disadvantageous. AS is now
generally known, the fertility and yield
ing properties of a soil are largely
regulated by the action of useful bac-
terra therein.
But for the presence and activity
of the various InicrO-orSaniSms in the
land crop production would be unproit-
able. If not impossible. and consequent
ly bacterial life may be said to con-
stitute the very essence of fertility.
Having regard to his fact, 1t is ncces-
sary to consider the conditions that
are most conducive to bacterial activity.
Numerous searching Investigations
have shown that the fertilizing bacteria
are much more plentiful in the surface
of the regularly cultivated soil than In
the lower strata. Therefore, the i'm
portance Of retaining the soil that
teens with bacterial life on the sur
face is evident and indisputable.
If his soil. in which the beneficial
heterogeneous are constantly fulfill
ing their Indispensable functions, is
buried below soil in which bacteria
are comparatively scarce it is clear
that unfortunate consequences must re-
suit.
On the whole. deep plowing is I'M
profitable and highly inadvisabln on
ordinary soils, but on the other hand,
subsoll stirring may be of great benefit
under normal conditions.