SOILS REQUIRED—CULTURE— MANURING. 51 
the degree of warmth which is necessary to aid the pro- 
cess of germination, and thus, in many cases, will rot in 
the ground. The subsoil plow, running as it does 
deep beneath the surface, disturbs the relations of the 
particles from the lowest portion of its path of travel up 
to the topmost layers, and if its aid be called in when 
the seed is first germinating, or when the tiny shoot is 
but first above ground, the air, the dew, and the sun- 
light are enabled to act directly upon its roots, and they 
acquire great vigor and strength. 
It is our practice at the Farm School to use a small 
subsoil plow, with one horse,* to mark out our rows of 
sorgho and corn in place of the small plow, marker, or 
chain commonly employed. By so doing, we thoroughly 
loosen the soil directly under our row of plants, and pre- 
pare for the deposit of the seed in a most thorough and 
excellent manner. If the subsoil plow be subsequently 
run between the rows once or twice during the season, the 
whole ground will have been disturbed. 
SOAKING SEED. 
I think very favorably of the practice of soaking the 
seed of the sorgho for twenty-four hours before planting. 
It has been found by direct experiment that seeds deprived 
of the hulls will germinate much sooner than those planted 
at the same time but not so treated. Dr. Sicard, to try 
the experiment, planted two lots of seed, one with, the 
other without the hulls, and the latter were out of the 
* This admirable instrument is manufactured by Nourse, Mason, 
& Co., of Boston, from plans furnished by Professor J. J. Mapes. 
