The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-12-18

the WOrlO. some SuDSOllS III nuIHlO
climates have been made so close and
compact by the abundant rainfall
that air does not penetrate them to
aid in preparing plant food. Such
fields, therefore, may not show any
benefits of subsoiling until after two
or more years.
1t rarely pays to subsoil land in
the spring, and it is never advisable
to use the subsoil plough when the
subsoil is fully saturated with water
even though the surface be fairly
dry. Under such conditions Of plough
ing the clay subsoil Is pressed and
packed, when the object is to pull
verize it and allow the air to act
upon 1t.
Exceptions to General Rules For Deep
Fall Ploughing.
1) Never plough below the line
Of standing water in the soil, because
the subsoil cannot be pulverized in
be lowered by drainage.
CD Do no deep fall-ploughing on
light sandy land or dry. semi-arid
plains, and this especially applies to
elevated sandy lands Of the South.
Such lands can be helped by adding
humus and using winter cover crop.
(S) The object Of deep fall
ploughing is mainly to increase the
supply of plant food and the storage
of moisture in The soil. While this
preparation is of great value on roll
ing lands and nearly all fields so
long in cultivation that plant growth
Is medium or less, there are some
soils that for the production OF cotton
had better not be deep fall-broken,
such as very rich and moist river
bottoms and the virgin black-land
prairies of the Gulf States, for the
evident reason that there is too much
plant food for cotton already avail
able In the soil, with abundant mois-
that make for an
excessive growth Of the cotton stalks
and consequent decrease in fruit
under ordinary conditions.
For the cotton crop upon such lands
1t Is better to plough very shallow in
the spring and bed upon the firm
soil.
CD Do not plough deeply or SUBJ
soil In the spring. The subsoil is gen.
orally too full of water, and it is too
late for much effective action of the
air upon the soil for the winter rains
to firm the subsoil before planting
for cotton.
fe) Thin gray soil. urde-lnin
with yellow or stin clay near tho sur
face, most OF the post-oak fats, and
tho comparatively level coast lands
should be broken in ridges Cblsck
iurfoweu) ., ., or teeI wide, aG-
cording to the crop to be planted.
Cotton and corn may be left thicker
in the row, to offset the wider space
between the rows. The dead furrow
between the rows should be double
ploughed and made as deep as prac-
ticable. with a good outlet for the
water. This method will gradually
deepen the soil. increase drainage,
reduce washing and give a larger
and deeper body Of loose. aired earth
for the roots. This plan is excellent
when surface drainage Is >ecessary.
Soil to be live and friab.. must be
kept out Of standing water winter
and summer.
The sugar planters Of Louisiana all
use the ridge method generally 7
feet wide) for both sugar cane and
corn. The dead furrow is as deep as
plough drawn by four or six heavy
mules can penetrate at the last
breaking. This gives an average
depth Of tillage Of IL to is inches.
The adoption of the ridge method
on demonstration fields In the Yazoo
Delta in 1906 increased the yield of
corn from IA bushels per acre to 70
tushels. No fertilizer was used.
In case no winter cover crop is
used the soil should be disked or har-
r"wed two or three times during the
winter. provided it is dry enough.
Give good drainage to all parts of the
field.
Any cultivation done after the
deep fall-breaking should be shallow
mot more than or inches deep.
S. A. Knapp.
Special Agent in Charge.
FARMERS Cooperative Demonstration
Work