Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1909-02-25
Deep or shallow Flowing.

IN regard to the question of deep or
| shallow blowing. according to w. r..
Gilbert, OF a Canadian experiment sta
| ton, it is essential to discriminate
clearly between deep blowing and deep
stirring. There is vital difference
between the two; so much so that,
whereas perhaps not one farmer in a
| hundred could from his practical eX-
perience urge the adoption of the form
er. there must be very few who could
not conscientiously speak favOrably of
| the beneficial influences of the latter.
Much, of course, depends upon the
nature of the land, and 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 have a useful
effect in promoting the prosperity of
the succeeding crops, for the reason
that the plant roots to extend over a
large area require less exertion in
search of nutriment and moisture.
Obviously it must be a very friable
subsoil that 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 burying of the more fer
tile top soil to a depth at which the
nutriment it contains is available 70 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 it 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 tillage
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 heterogeneous in the
land crop production would be unproft-
able, if not impossible, and consequent
~ bacterial life may be said to con-
stitute the very essence of fertility.
Having regard to this fact, it is neces-
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 this soil, in which the beneficial
micro-org4 nisms 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 blowing is I'M
profitable and highly inadvisable on
ordinary soils, but ON the other hand,
subsoil stirring may be of great benefit
under normal conditions.