1868. 



NEW ENGLAND FAKTHER. 



405 



HOEIWQ. 



What are the Principles Involved in Hoeing, or Stirring 

 the Soil, and How and When should it be Done ? 



NE of the most im- 

 ■ — ^-^^^ » portant operations to 



be performed on the 

 farm, is the thor- 

 ough cultivation of 

 the surface soil on 

 all crops that require 

 the use of the hoe. 

 In England, and to 

 some extent in parts 

 of our own country, the "hoed crops" include 

 wheat and other grains, when sowed in drills. 

 Drainage, however, where necessary, must 

 precede all other operations. "■ 



Perhaps the word cultivation would afford 

 a better idea of what we are wishing to learn, 

 than the word lioeing, as that word includes all 

 the various means used to bring the surface 

 into a fine and porous form. 



Ploughing is the first step toward this cul- 

 tivation, and renders all the subsequent labor 

 comparatively easy. Ten or fifteen years ago, 

 deep ploughing was supposed to be, not only 

 judicious, but important ; but according to the 

 discussions to which we listened, during the 

 recent session of the Massachusetts State 

 Board of Agriculture, in Concord, deep plough- 

 ing is now considered injurious ! A distin- 

 guished writer, and an eminently practical 

 man, says the statement that the deeper and 

 ih^ finer the soil is rendered, the more pro- 

 ductive it will become, Is in every respect true, 

 and which no single Instance will contradict." 

 This deepening, however, must be gradual, 

 and when so conducted, different layers being 

 brought from time to time to atmospheric in- 

 fluences, what was at first a soil of four or five 

 inches in depth, becomes one of ten or twelve, 

 and Is black, fine and porous, and in the con- 

 dition to become richer and richer, under a 

 fair treatment, every year. 



This is the first step in a judicious cultiva- 

 tion ; but is a rude and coarse one, and if 

 stopped there on our soils, would scarcely re- 

 pay the cost of the operation. We will give 

 only a single illustration of the benefit of deep 

 ploughing. 



A good farmer had a considerable field 

 which had been cultivated at ordinary depths. 

 He laid it out in equal squares, and ploughed 

 it at all depths from five to ten inches, on the 



different lands, and sowed oats evenly over 

 the whole. The crop on the five-inch soil was 

 very poor ; on the six-inch rather better ; on 

 the seven-Inch better stiU, and on the ten-inch 

 soil it was as fine as ever grew ; It had stiff 

 straw and broad leaves, while the grain was 

 also ^puch better than on the remainder of the 

 field. 



The first duty of the farmer, then, in pre- 

 paring his soil for seeds and crops, is to look 

 at Its mechanical condition. This is the basis 

 and ground-work of all after labor ; just what 

 the bricks and mortar are to the mason, lum- 

 ber to the carpenter, fire and iron to the black- 

 smith, knowledge of laws to the lawyer, of 

 gospel to the minister, and of the nature of 

 the human system, and of the drugs which he 

 uses, to the physician. 



He must look to this, because the soil Is to 

 hold the roots of his plants in position, and 

 by its sponge-like action hold water for their 

 use. 



It must be In a condition to absorb moisture 

 firom the atmosphere to supply the demand of 

 plants, and absorb heat from the sun's rays to 

 make them grow. 



It must supply them with a part of their 

 food by admitting the air to circulate among 

 their roots. The oxygen of the air will make 

 the minerals in the soil available to their use. 



Three things, then, are just as necessary to 

 the farmer in preparing his soil to produce the 

 most profitable crop, as timber and nails are 

 necessary to the cai'penter in building a house. 



1. To make rain water pass through the 

 soil, instead of being evaporated from the 

 surface. 



2. To make the soil deep and fine. 



3. To make it capable of absorbing atmos- 

 pheric fertilizers, by which It will become dark, 

 fine and rich. 



Such a soil will prevent drought. 



Because when rain falls it will soak into 

 the ground instead of running off. It per- 

 meates every part of the soil, and parts with 

 the heat, ammonia and other fertilizing agents 

 which it contains. 



It absorbs the dews and the moisture con- 

 tained In the atmosphere. The air is full of 

 water In the form of vapor. More than 1300 

 gallons have been found to evaporate from a 

 single acre in twelve hours. This air rests 

 with a pressure of fifteen pounds to every 



