CULTIVATION. 207 



force, is tlie best, but this rule is not without its 

 exceptions. 



The advantages of deep plowing cannot be too 

 strongly urged. 



The statement that the deeper and the finer the 

 soil is rendered, the more productive it will become, 

 is in every respect true, and no single instance will 

 contradict it. 



It must not be inferred from this, that we would 

 advise a farmer, who has always plowed his soil to 

 the depth of only six inches, to double the depth at 

 once. Such a practice in some soils would be highly 

 injurious, as it would completely bury the more fer- 

 tile and better cultivated soil, and bring to the top 

 one which contains no organic matter, and has never 

 been subject to atmospheric influences. This would, 

 perhaps, be so little fitted for vegetation that it 

 would scarcely sustain plants until their roots could 

 reach the more fertile parts below. Such treatment 

 of the soil (turning it upside down) is excellent in 

 garden culture, where the great amount of manures 

 applied is sufiicient to overcome the temporary bar- 

 renness of the soil, but it is not to be recommended 

 for all field cultivation, where much less manure is 

 employed. 



The course to be pursued in such cases is to plow 

 a little deeper each year. By this means the soil 

 may be gradually deepened to any desired extent. 

 The amount of uncongenial soil which will thus bo 

 brought up, is slight, and will not interfere at all 

 with the fertility of the soil, while tlio elevated por 



