306 [Senate 



slacked lime, at the rate of 30 bushels to the acre, together with a 

 moderate quantity of strawy manure, and planted it with potatoes, 

 ruta baga and field beets. Before mid-summer, the soil became so 

 compact that it was with difficulty a hoe could be made to penetrate 

 to the depth of half an inch. The product was light and the pros- 

 pect of success not very flattering. 



Not willing to give it up so, I projected a plan, which, with some 

 slight variation, I have pursued to the present time, and with the 

 most satisfactory result. In this plan, the renovating means con- 

 sisted mainly in deep fall plowing^ and a liberal use of straw, or 

 other light materials. The straw, by being turned under, constituted 

 a sort of underdrain, by which the surface water was permitted to 

 pass off; thus leaving, during winter, the upper stratum of earth 

 more susceptible to the fertilizing influence of frost. Besides, as a 

 secondary eff"ect, the straw by decomposing and being thoroughly 

 mixed with the soil, has served materially to improve its texture, 

 and eventually to change its character. Late that fall, I went to a 

 pile of wet and mouldy straw, which my predecessor had left at an 

 out barn, and drew to this field as much of it as I thought I could 

 well cover with the plow, and immediately turned it under, allowing 

 the plow to run to the depth of eight inches. I had two boys fol- 

 low the plow, and with light four-tined forks, draw from the 'land' 

 into the furrow as much straw as would nearly fill it, at the same 

 time walking in the furrow and treading it down — which enabled the 

 plow to cover it all perfectly. The plowing was done in narrow 

 lands, and the dead furrows left deep and open. 



The following spring it was again plowed six inches deep, and 

 another dressing of straw turned under in like manner as before. It 

 was again planted with the same kind of vegetables as before; only 

 •their relative position in the field was inverted. This season, some 

 improvement became apparent, both in the condition of the soil and 

 in the amount of the crop. The ensuing fall and spring, the same 

 treatment of the land was repeated — except that at each time, the 

 plowing was one inch deeper. The crop last year was chiefly man- 

 gel wurzel — which proved a very good one — nearly as large for the 

 quantity of ground as the present one. 



Preparatory to the crop the present year, the same treatment was 

 again repeated — except that instead of straw, four loads of strawy 

 horse-stable manure Avere applied in the fall, and in the spring three 

 loads of chip dirt, and one load of hog manure.* 



The soil has now become light and friable, and I have omitted the 

 present fall, the application of straw or any straw materials, deeming 

 this part of the process not now necessary. 



When the ground was plowed and worke ! for the present crop, it 

 was in a proper state as to moisture. The manure was turned under 

 and perfectly covered, the plow running to the depth of about seven 

 inches. It was then thoroughly harrowed and rolled. The object 



* By a ' load' of manure or straw, is meant a common wagon-box full, which holds about thirty 



bushels. 



