June 2, 1908.] Agricultural Gazette of N.S.TF. 515 



and there sweetened l)y exposure to the sun, frost, and all atmospheric 

 agents that tend to sweeten and enrich it : liarnifnl acids are also driven 

 out, and the mechanical natni'e of tjie soil is changed in every way for 

 the better. Good cultivation must he ])ractised to obtain good results. 

 It is (juestionable if bad cultivation is l)etter than nothing, because good 

 land in its natural state may be a sourci' of profit to the owner for grazing 

 purposes, while l)ad cultivation simply destroys tlie natural grasses and 

 grows often nothing but weeds in their stead : it always costs something, 

 too, and may return nothing. 



Tickling' the soil and blackening the surface is not ploughing. This 

 operation must be done deeply and thoroughly, so that the ground may be 

 turned over, pidverised, and fit to grow the crop intended for it. Average 

 soil is in proper condition for operations wlien it contains about half the 

 quantity of water that it can take up; but it is better, and more especially 

 in clay lands, to i)lough when rather dry than wet. 



In jiloughing the first time where a further operation is intended later 

 •on. it is preferable to plough on the dry side and turn up good-sized clods, 

 leaving these in this state for exposure to the atmosphere. In this way a 

 far greater surface is aerated than if laid or worked to an even surface ; 

 the rough clods soon moidder down, and can easily he broken up when required ; 

 but before seeding the surface should be brought into a fine state of tilth, 

 and especially should this be so for small and delicate seeds. Anything that 

 impedes th(- progress of young roots, such as large clods, should be broken up. 

 for such are unsuitable for supplying food to young roots even if they could 

 enter them, which they cannot; the adjacent soil, well tilled, is asked to 

 supply the rootlets which shotdd enter them, and is asked to do more than 

 its share in bringing these plants to perfection — by reason of the manifold 

 openings in well-tilled earth they entice roots to penetrate their manifold 

 openings that are fidl of sohible plant-foods. Xot only is good tillage neces- 

 sary for the development of roots, btit it warms the land, provides air and 

 moisture, without which no seed can germinate. Moreover, how can the 

 tender blade which first shoots with the root find its way to the surface 

 through heavy impenetrable earth .' If it does not do so ([uickly it dies. 

 Much seed is rendered useless through bad ctiltivation ; it germinates, but 

 never reaches the surface. There is also very little capillary action in soil 

 that is too compact; it can neither absorb water freely nor give it off evenly 

 and continuously as well-cultivated land can. 



Now, take ploughing that is done at the same depth year after year until 

 a hard-])an is made like a well-beaten road. How can yotmg roots pene- 

 trate this? They cannot, and are turned oft' from their })roper direction, 

 which is first downwards, and hamper the lateral roots which develop 

 afterwards by sharing with them the surface plant-food, which should 

 properly belong only to them. In dry weather, then, it follows, as 

 there is no connection with the subsoil deep down where moisture is, 

 P 



