THE GEKESEE FARMER. 



in 



leep, and endeavor to make as much rich manure 

 1 possible. 



But on heavier soils — such as form, under gocnl 

 dture, our best and most permanent wheat lands — 

 e can not dispense with the use of summer fal- 

 ws. We Avill hazard an opinion, which Avill, 

 srhaps, astonish some of our readers, but for 

 hich we can offer some good reasons : that on a 

 ell-underdrained, properly-cultivated clayey loam, 

 ere is very little actual increase of fertilizing 

 after added to the soil by growing and plowing 

 any crop — even a heavy crop oi our highly- 

 ized clover. All the mineral matter it contains 

 as in the soil before, and the matter which the 

 op has obtained from rain and dew would have 

 en retained by the soil, if in proper condition, 

 le only increase, then, would be in the gases 

 aich the plants attracted from the atmosphere, 

 le bulk of this is carbonic acid — of which, for 

 'leat, most soils have an abundance. How much 

 ammonia is attracted from the atmosphere by 

 e best of renovating plants, such as clover, it is 

 Bcult to estimate, but from all that we know on 

 e subject, we think it probable that it is not more 

 an a well-stirred, loamy soil would attract. That 

 my kinds of clayey soils have the power of at- 

 icting ammonia from the atmosphere there can 

 no doubt, and that one of the advantages of 

 mmer fallows is attributable to this fact is equally 

 rtain. 



Our wheat growers, on heavy soils, must pay 

 3re attention to summer fallows. We are aware 

 at fallows add nothing to the soil, except ammo- 

 1, from the atmosphere. They simply render 

 ailable the stores of plant-food locked up in the 

 il. But why should they not be rendered availa- 

 and useful? Is not this better than letting 

 3m lie dormant ? They are the farmer's capital, 

 d the more he can keep in circulation the better. 

 We have great hopes that some cheaper and more 

 ectual method will be devised of breaking up 

 d pulverizing clay soils, than by the common 

 )w, cultivator and harrow. We must make the 

 am enigne, that " giant with one idea," do, at a 

 gle operation, what we can now accomplish only 

 repeated plowings, harrowings, &c. 

 With our cold winters, and hot, dry summers, 

 can attain the object of summer-fallowing more 

 sily than in Great Britain. What will our readers 

 T to the following remarks from that recent and 

 )st excellent British authority, Morton's Cyclo- 

 lia of Agriculture? "At present, fuur plowings, 

 eluding the stubble and seed furrows, complete 

 3 process ; but were the true objects of a naked 



fallow kept in view, the clay land farmer should 

 never rest satisfied that he has worked his land 

 properly, unless six, or at least five, plowings have 

 been given during the process." 



The same authority says that the heavier clay 

 soils in Essex " frequently receive eiglit^ and never 

 less than six, clean plowings, with three horses 

 abreast each time. The land is also scarified with 

 four horses between the plowings." 



In the Oarse of Gowrie, it is considered that a 

 summer fallow, to be properly worked, "should 

 receive six furrows, ten double tines of the har- 

 rows, four rollings, and two grubbings." 



As we have said before, land can be cleaned of 

 weeds and rendered mellow here with less labor 

 than in England ; but we would submit the question 

 for consideration, whether we have not somewhat 

 abused these advantages? Whether we do not 

 content ourselves with summer fallows for wheat, 

 which are unworthy the name ? Of late years, the 

 majority of summer fallows, in this section, are 

 plowed but once. The sod is broken in June, and 

 the surface afterwards cleaned and pulverized by 

 the use of the cultivator and harrows. The surface 

 is often veiy loose and mellow, but the great mass 

 of the soil is not exposed to the meliorating influ- 

 ences of the air and sun. Would it not be better 

 to plow the land oftener, and leave it rougher? 

 The heat of the sun has great influence in bringing 

 about those, chemical changes in the soil which it 

 is one of the objects of summer fallows to induce. 

 The direct rays of the sun give out no heat — the 

 reflected rays alone give out heat. When the sun, 

 shines on a cloddy field, the clods reflect the heat 

 radiated from each other, and in this way a higli 

 degree of temperature is obtained. A writer in the 

 London Farmer''s Magazine^ for 1815, states that 

 a cloddy, clay soil was found to be heated to 120"; 

 and in our hotter climate, a much higher heat might 

 be obtained, which would contribute materially to 

 the destruction of insects and their eggs, as well 

 as promote disintegration of the earthy and alka- 

 line silicates, and the decomposition of vegetable 

 matter. 



This subject is one of vast importance to Ameri- 

 can wheat growers. Wo have merely thrown out 

 a few hints for consideration, and shall be glad 

 if some of our experienced correspondents will 

 give us their views. 



Is Plaster beneficial on Wet Land. — Bous- 

 siNGAULT addressed this question to the farmers 

 of France. There were ten answers, all in the 

 negative. 



