354 [Assembly 



again in the same place, but turns nothing over; thus you will per- 

 ceive, that although a slight mixture may take place between the clay 

 and kellis from the action of the sub-soil plow, still it does not 

 intermix the upper surface of the clay with the surface soil. Any 

 intermixture there must depend upon the depth to which the surface 

 plow is set to turn its furrow, not an inconsiderable benefit arising 

 from the use of subsoil plow, is the slight lifting it gives to the 

 upper furrow, thus causing its disintegration, w'hich is not perfect 

 from being merely turned over with the surface plow. 



One argument in favor of deep plowing is, that immediately 

 over my drains the crops are best. 



My reasons for plowing to this extraordinary depth are these: 



1. I wish to perfectly disintegrate my soil and take up a portion 

 of the clay each year, to be converted into soil, thus deepening the 

 soil, I' 



2. Vo incorporate the kellis with the clay so as to render it peu- 

 etrab e to water, and still more important, to admit the atmosphere. 



3. The advantages to arise from sub-soil plowing are : 



Less liability to suffer from drought, the roots can go down and 

 find moisture. More surface of particles is exposed to the action 

 of the atmosphere, and for the reception of ammonia and carbonic 

 acid. The absorption of these ingredients by soil being, not in pro- 

 portion to the quantity of soil, but to the surface of disintegrated 

 soil exposed 



The more minute division of soluble and semi-soluble manures, 

 by occupying the surface of a greater instead of a less number of 

 particles, and being thus better conditioned to receive the necessary 

 quantity of oxygen for complete preparation for assimilation with 

 plants. 



Those who argue that ammonia is not a manure, nor that nitrogen 

 is necessary as a component for plants, will at least accredit it as a 

 necessary assimilating agent, and that the supply must be from the 

 atmosphere, or to be abstracted from rains which have received it 

 from the atmosphere. In my soil, at least, I do not fear losing any 

 of the virtues of manures by too deep disintegration, for by filling a 

 cask four feet deep, placed on its head with the soil in the same 



