408 MONTHLY JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE. 



PENNSYLVANIA FARMING 



KECOMMENDED TO BE PRACTICED IN MARYLAND, NATURALLY A BETTER WHEAT COUNTRY. 



The following letter was written by % plain, practical, working Farmer, giving his views 

 in plain terms — as one neighbor does to another — without any view of appearing in print- 

 It need not be read with the less attention or profit, on that account. We are sony to under- 

 stand that fanning is not improving as generally as might be wished, in a region so blessed 

 by Nature with a rich and enduring soil and pure healthy atmosphere. If she does not 

 keep pace with other sections, query, is it that her inhabitants despise book -knowledge ; or 

 is it, as some would contend, that tliey read too much of what is going on in the wide world 

 of Agriculture ? On reading, we solicited the favor of being allowed to publish it. If there 

 be in it nothing absolutely new, there is that which cannot well be too often repeated. 



Utica, January 29, 1847. 



Dear Sir : In my last letter I mentioned something relative to the improve- 

 ment of land in Lancaster county. I am fully convinced that, if a proper and 

 judicious mode of improving land was introduced mto Frederick county, that in 

 the course of six or eight years it would produce double to what it does at this 

 time. I consider that part of this county, where I am acquainted, a much belter 

 wheat-land than that of Lancaster county, and, under similar cultivation, would 

 bring more wheat to the acre. I would not dare to say that every farm would 

 bring double. No doubt there are many good farmers here, as well as there ; 

 yet, I must say, I have been unfortunate in not meeting with many of that kind. 



The most of all the farms within my knowledge both in the limestone, as well 

 as the red-lands, have become deteriorated and inert from the circumstance of a 

 Avrong mode of farming. A uniform mode of shallow-plowing, say from five to 

 seven inches deep — and that almost continually under the plow — with now and 

 then a little starved crop of clover, and often the cattle turned on before it is six 

 inches high: is it any wonder that these complaints are heard about bad crops? 

 Nothing is a more convincing proof to me that plants derive a great deal of their 

 nourishment from the air, seeing the crops, and considering the manner of culti- 

 vation. All land that has a good subsoil and what is generally called loam, is 

 susceptible of improvement ; and the only time it can be made available is late 

 in the fall, after the subsoil has become saturated with the fall rains, the wetter 

 the better. There ought, by all means, to be a heavy coat of something to turn 

 down. The plowing must be a foot deep. Three inches or four of the subsoil 

 which lies under seven inches, if well applied, would soon pay the State debt. 

 What a pity to have so much hidden treasure unemployed and unproductive ! 

 When the genial rays of the sun spread a benign inllueuce around in the spring 

 season, causing man and beast and bird to rejoice, vegetation also rears its head 

 to praise its Maker. This is the time also to prepare food, first for plants, and 

 afterward for man and beast. Fermentation and decomposition then take place. 



I would now say something about the deep-plowing: A considerable 

 quantity of the five inches of subsoil turned up last fall, and frozen last 

 winter, will now become available for the food of plants : amelioration takes 

 place, it becomes friable and moulders down, becomes commingled with the top- 

 soil, undergoes now a slate of ferincntalion — a kind of chemical process ; and 

 here is also going on, at the same time, the deco<nposition of the vegetable mat- 

 ter turned under in the fall. Here is a fine range for the corn-roots to seek their 

 supply — instead of six or seven inches, here are tAvelve. Here is a place to hide 

 the roots from the sun, and here is a little cistern to hold water when there is a 

 little to spare, to be drawn up by the rays of the sun when wanted. 



As we have got through with the fresh start lor improving the land — especially 

 if it is possible, before planting the corn, to put a little manure ou, as also lii'ly, 



(840) 



