Rensselaer Union, Volume 1, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 June 1869 — Better Tillage. [ARTICLE]

Better Tillage.

Farmers fe gfeheral expect a yield of whereon they grow. Yet it is obvious that if one should scatter seed over an acre of rock it would perish: if over the rock there was a layer-of: soil two or three inched in depth, the seed might reproduce itself; add as much more soil and an ordinary yield might result; and again if this depth should be dpubfed, and, umde .availSide to the plant, who dofibts that proporprofits would be derived? imperriomr nature. Jtf that, fte tender roots could penetrate -it, sad make use of its fertility, it would then require loosening, pulverizing, aerating, and in short, thorough cultivation, and according to the depth -and thoroughness of that cultivation would'be the amount of plant food made available aad consequently the yield of the crop. ? :

Thta la practically the condition of moat of our land; it oontalna plant food enough to double the average yield of crop*, if it weri only made available to them, but the unworked aub-aoll la like rock, confining the roota Of planta to the comparatively thtn arable aurfaoe noil. Instead of coveting your neighbor's lands and putting forth great efforts to secure more surface, is it not more profitable to cultivate deeper that which you already possess, and double its productiveness» With most of our farm crops the amount of roota determines the quantity of products, and roota will develop abundantly wherever there is room and food for them, but they cannot push their way into stony lumps, nor live in hard pan layers where there is no air. On many farms underdraining lies at the foundation of improved culture. The stagnant water must pass off or air will not enter the aoil, nor the latter remain loose any length of time after l>eing stirred. Then comes a fair depth of surface plowing, followed by aubsoiling to any practicable depth. This way of preparing stubble ground for spring grain is excellent Before sowing cultivate deep across the furrows with a long toothed cultivator. A seed bed of finely pulverized eartb, ten or twelve inches deep, can thus be obtained. Wc have seen oat-stubble prepared for wheat by plowing to the depth of twelve inches, harrowing, rolling, then stirring, the soil nearly to the bottom of the furrow by a long-toothed wheel cultivator, to which four horses were Attached, four abreast, and all was finely pulverized. Such a chance for wheat on strong loam or clay land is better than most summerfallows. Farmers, look to your possessions down in the ground; there are richer mines than those in the far mountains, and the patient worker thereof wins health, peace and competence.— l»wa Homestead.