Rensselaer Union, Volume 1, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 September 1869 — Items of Agricultural Experience. [ARTICLE]

Items of Agricultural Experience.

1. All soils are benefited by being underdmined, but the benefit is more apparent and lasting in those of a clayey nature, or having a subsoil - retentive of moisture. 2. After drainage, subsoilirig and good cultivation are necessary to ensure good crops on heavy soils. 3. Lime is the best manure to supply strong clay soils. It renders them more pervious to light and heat, and also corrects their acidity, by combining with some of the chemical salts in the soil, making plant food of poison. 4. Summer fallowing is the most efficient itod profitable means of preparing strong soils for wheat, and of beginning a rotation, after grass has been grown - for a length of time. 5. Green crops plowed under, when in the most succulent state, are powerful auxiliaries in rendering a light soil fertile, but if this is done too often successively, the soil becomes overcharged with carbonaceous matter; , 6. Leached ashes applied in largo quantities to sandy soils, or those containing too much vegetable humus, will greatly ameliorate their condition, and render them more compact. 7. There is no soil so poor or sterile but some mode may be found of and enriching It. 8. Blowing sands may be gradually made productive by spreading six inches thick of straw over' them, to remaiii till rotted. Then seed thickly with clover on the surface, without plowing, and when the clover lias taken hold and becomes established , pasture sheep upon the land for two or three years preparatory'to manuring and cultivating it.' 9. Two successive, grain crops on the same land leave it very foul. 1 10. Summer fallowing ameliorates a soil, and if properly done, gets rid of most of the weeds and noxious plant* infesting it —Canada Farmer.