^90 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



After this hasty glance at the general principles 

 involved in the germination of seeds, we may 

 proceed to notice the special requirements of the 

 various crops which come under the care of the 

 agriculturist, and to describe the preparation of 

 the land which is most successfully adopted in each 

 case. It may he as well for me to remark, that 

 although the composition of the soil is an essential 

 point in the preparation made for each crop, yet 

 it does not come within the scope of this Essay to 

 notice the means by which we regulate the presence 

 of those fertilizers which are necessary for luxu- 

 riant growth. 



Wheat. — The mode of preparing land for 

 being sown with wheat will be regulated by the 

 previous cultivation it may have received and the 

 natural character of the soil. The heaviest clay 

 soils are generally prepared by bare fallow : this 

 plan being found, in the majority of cases, produc- 

 tive of the best crops of corn from this description 

 of land. When this plan is properly carried out, 

 the tillage which the field receives brings it into 

 a nice condition for the seed-wheat to make its 

 growth. Close and adhesive as these soils natu- 

 rally are, it has been found necessary to adopt a 

 method of cultivation by which the character of the 

 soil shall become thoroughly changed. Under 

 the action of a properly-managed fallow the soil 

 becomes broken up by the frosts, baked by the 

 sun's rays, and crumbled again by the fall of rain ; 

 and these influences, combined with the inversion 

 and intermixing effected by implements employed 

 upon the land, change it from being close and 

 adhesive in its character, into the condition of a 

 well-broken soil fitted for the growth of seed. 



There is much difference even amongst heavy 

 clays as to the degree of fineness to which it is 

 desirable to reduce the soil whilst under fallow; 

 but the general feeling is that the soil should not 

 be rolled, so as to bring it into a fine state, unless 

 the land is foul and it is necessary to give the seeds 

 of any weeds which may be in the soil a better 

 opportunity of growth. Even then it is consi- 

 dered that we run a great risk of getting the soil 

 pasty or muddy when rain falls upon it ; and, 

 unless under the circumstances named, it is better 

 to keep the soil in a state of small lumps rather 

 than reduce them into a dusty condition. The 

 same care is necessary in preparing it for the seed- 

 wheat. The last ploughing should leave the land 

 in ridges, and the ploughed earth should not 

 be broken down or crushed until the time of 

 sowing. 



An early preparation of these soils is advisable, 

 so that the work may be accomplished whilst the 

 soil can be thrown together in a dry state, after 

 vvhich it may remain untouched until the seed- 

 time. Narrow lands will generally be found best 

 for soils of this class, so that, in carrying out 

 the sowing, the drill and harrows may cover the 

 width between the two furrows, and the horses 

 walk in the furrows, so as not to tramp/e the 



!u" 1 i t.^ ^^^'°^^ ^^^ ''^^" ^vell managed, so that 

 the land has been thoroughly cleaned from weeds, 

 in case of a wet seed-time, I should have no hesi- 

 tation in sovving the land broadcast, rather than 

 wait to drill the seed with the risk of injuring the 



condition of the land, and the certainty of delaying 

 the time of sowing. 



Clays of this strong character are exceedingly 

 sensitive of moisture. They rapidly absorb it 

 from the air, and when the rain falls, the interstices 

 in the surface soon become closed so as to ob- 

 struct its passage. If, whilst the soil is in this 

 soft state, it be pressed, a firm adhesion of the 

 particles takes place. The cups thus formed in 

 the soil by the horses' feet, continue to hold water 

 long after the other ground has become dry. The 

 clay soil, which expanded when it absorbed water, 

 is disposed to contract again as it dries, whilst the 

 adhesion formed by pressure still remains. If 

 this adhesion is objectionable to the growth of the 

 seed, as I shall show it to be, it ought to be 

 avoided ; and for this reason the sowing of such 

 land should be carried out as early as the climate 

 of the district will permit, and the greatest care 

 should be taken to avoid the injurious influence 

 of treading the soil or pressing it by the use of 

 implements which may cause its adhesion. Few 

 can at present estimate the full amount of injury 

 occasioned on these soils by the treading of horses 

 on their work — an injury which probably will 

 only be rightly estimated when we supersede this 

 portion of their labour by steam-cultivation. 



After the seed is sown, the harrowing must only 

 be carried out so far as to cover the seed, for the 

 reduction of the surface to a fine tilth is very ob- 

 jectionable; rolling should certainly be avoided. 

 The injurious effect of a fine surface arises from 

 its disposition, in case of violent rain, to form a 

 muddy coating, which, when dry, acts as a crust 

 upon the surface. This covering interrupts the 

 free entrance of the atmospheric air into the 

 soil, and thereby checks the germination of the 

 seed, and renders it irregular. In the same manner 

 but in a greater degree, when, by compression, 

 we get an adhesion of the soil, the seed thus en- 

 closed is deprived of the access of air, and cannot 

 make its growth. The stronger and more adhesive 

 the natural character of the clay may be, the 

 greater is the caution necessary to have it well 

 prepared for the seed early in the season, so that 

 it may be sown in good time, and the surface left 

 in a tolerably rough state. These clods of soil 

 will be a good shelter in the winter months, and, 

 by the return of spring, will have mellowed down 

 into a nice mould, valuable to the young plant 

 when the important operation of spring-rolling is 

 carried out ; but care must be taken in doing this, 

 not to get on to the land too quickly. Now, al- 

 though I advise that the field be left rough after 

 sowing for the winter months, I must not be sup- 

 posed to suggest a negligent mode of finishing the 

 work of preparation ; for I admire a neatly-finished 

 field of corn, and look upon it as an indication of 

 general good management. The surface may be 

 allowed to remain rough ; but, as soon as the im- 

 plements have finished their work, the labourers 

 should proceed to make clean and suflficient furrows 

 and water-gutters, so as to prevent any lodgment 

 of water upon the surface. This should be done 

 whether the land be underdrained or not. Fer- 

 tilizing as the passage of the water undoubtedly 

 is, 1 would very much rather not retain it 



