The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-11-30
RIGHT DEPTH FOR FLOWING.
Depends on Depth of Surface OF Fertile
Soil

The chief object of blowing is TO pull.
verize or loosen up the soil, and make
it fine and mellow for raising farm crops
says |. W. Ingham in the American Gull
tiyator Good blowing is the foundation
of successful agriculture. All kinds OF
grain and vegetables, in order TO pro-
duce the best crops, require mellow
seed bed, SO they can extend their roots
easily and quickly in every direction,
| hold the particles OF earth in a close
embrace, and readily extract all the
moisture and nourishment they need for
npid and opulent growth.
The soil may be full Of fertility, but il
| it is so compact that the roots OF plants
cannot push through it without difficulty
they cannot obtain all the sustenance
they require 10 develop the largest
growth and best quality. Another OBJ
icct in blowing ground is TO stir it,
sweeten the soil, and make it more por
Gus. that it viii hold water Ike a sponge
for the benefit OF the crop In dry weath-
err
The prevailing opinion among farmers
seems 70 be that the proper depth to
plow depends on the depth OF the sur
face or fertile soil; that a deep, rich
soil viii be likely "a raise a bigger crop
by blowing deep, thereby enabling it 10
absorb aud retain more Of the rain wa
ter for the benefit Of the plants in dry
weather, and also facilitate the rise OF
the ground water by capillary action.
More than this the deep blowing invites
the plants 70 send their roots down deep
4..a a.. -, -
Pillow deep while sluggards sleep, and
have some grain 20 sell or keep was
fist printed in Poor Richards almanac
by Dr. Benjamin franklin, showing that
he advocated deep blowing without any
qualification. But Or. Franklin was a
p inter, a philosopher. a statesman and
diplomat, but never farmer ntr a farm
ers son.
Nothing has been more clearly cstab-
iished BY experience than the imprOprl-
cts Of turning the thin top soil down
TO the bottom Of deep furrow. and I'M
less there is given the land at the same
time il is done dressing Of manure on |
the surface, there will be positive oam-
age to The land for several succeeding |
rrups. Some years ago the writer tried /
tho experiment Of deep and shallow I
ploughing on the alluSial flats alorg 4
the Susaquehanna river. Part Of a field .
81 sod ground was plowed abou' dye
inches deep, and the remainder nine
inches. The field was planted with corn
,ut tho whole field produced a large crop.
10 appreciate difference could b. OBJ
served between the part plowed shallow
,nd the part plowed deep. Had the sea-
.on been dry there i no doubt the corn
~ the deep plowed portion would have
,ecn the better.
Aaerwar4 ! tried the same experiment
m The Fat. on corn stubble instead Of
.cn The result was the same a. BE-
are. both deep aud shallow blowing gave
Ifallv good yielis u should D. said
nat the river Eats containing a por-
lon II Sand an8 great deal 81 humus
.efef ct 20 compact THAT the roots Of
1rn cannot penetmte t.
On orr upland. cumpose8 mostly Of
lay lnam. and BOT little hrmus. TIE easr
! altogether different Wc piowed ar
.plsa8 field deeply in order o. turn ont
= small loose siu6ps af which there
era n large number d was pall har-
uaad and s1nn wth oafF The oat
DARTS laakrf rIlGe far lunr timr
itsr thay came nr. msf. . siDu growth
nl vhrn Hr wre sha# tires caala
- = e-nEei ani maie p-r yirl8
- half crop
ir p'ge re anrttef HT'an3 SID FOR
l-r tha ubaal h-ote vhen The frld was
hnut fsf Ti1wt ard te HH then
1run several IHlafs lfTef wher
wang tie HaHaiu81r faFn VS. Dla9f
q n - 90 6rtTie r fw the
lae Feiir- r k t fi1
q produce nuai rrff ha'f e. a tsf
t alrn1rm -raunt
firune tIe asaaar ~ fsn a.f 81
$50 tIarts t arf riaae
Ire 90 n1esI i-of