ESSAY ON DEEP TILLING. 131 



soil unfitted for tliera, the tree starves. Wlien a drought occurs, 

 the hard ground at the circumference of the roots becomes dry first, 

 at the very point where there should be the most moisture and 

 nourishment, and the tree is " withered, dried up from the roots." 

 Should it survive all these, the water freezing about the roots may 

 throw it from its position ; or long continued stagnant water will 

 end its days sooner or later. 



The amateur cultivator occasionally loses some of his trees in 

 winter, both fruit and ornamental, and forthwith declares such 

 species or varieties not hardy. We doubt not many rare and val- 

 uable trees and shrubs, deciduous and evergreen, not now supposed 

 to be sufficiently hardy to endure our climate, or only half hardy, 

 will be found by repeated trials, in thoroughly 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. His 

 seed is planted and rots, or a few parching days prevents its vege- 

 tating. He knows not which most to fear or guard against — b 

 sudden wet or dry spell. This uncertainty, and perhaps loss of 

 crops, are obviated 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 de- 

 stroyed 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, however, the agriculturist will 

 have the roots well covered by a deep gage 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 runs 

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



