DEEP TILLAGE. 121 



drained .soil, to be perfectly hardy. We have some proofs of 

 this ; but present limits will not admit of details. 



Deep Seed Culture. — We can only allude briefly to seed 

 planting. Often is the farmer obliged to wait till late in the 

 spring to plough much of his land. Ilis seed is planted, and 

 rots, or a few parching days prevent its vegetating. He knows 

 not which most to fear or guard against — a sudden wet or dry 

 spell. This uncertainty, and perhaps loss of crops, are obvi- 

 ated by some of the modes of treatment we have recommended. 

 Seeds always should be, and then can be, planted deeper than 

 is common. They will vegetate sooner, more uniformly, and 

 be followed by a more luxuriant growth. 



Land well drained may also be cultivated much earlier, and 

 it is often quite an object to give some crops an early start. 

 If the tops are cut down by untimely frosts, life will not be as 

 often destroyed if deeply planted, as is the case with Indian 

 corn. Short and stocky stems above ground are also better 

 able to withstand the changes of wind and weather. It is not 

 unusual for grains and grasses to be winter-killed. If, howev- 

 er, the agriculturist will have the roots well covered by a deep 

 gauge of the seed sower, and well drained, he will not be likely 

 to lose his summer prospects in winter. 



Another consideration is the hilling process. It will still be 

 found unavoidable to hill in the old-fashioned way if the plough 

 run3 but a few inches deep. Corn must have dry soil and 

 deep root ; and if the farmer will not work doivn, he must work 

 up. No practice, however, is more absurd and useless than 

 this, if abundance of room and ample drainage are provided. 

 Writers may discuss the pros and cons of its expediency; but 

 we believe it will be found to turn, finally, on this point of 

 deep tillage. 



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