684 Teansactioxs of the Amehican Ixstitute. 



Jersey soils, of wliicli we liave heard, are essentially like tliose, and, 

 therefore, permit the roots to run without the assistance of the plow. 

 The truth is that soil of such a nature does not need plowing ; but 

 because that happens to be true is it any kind of guide or rule for 

 men in general ? On the contrary, it is the rule applicable to nine- 

 tenths of all the land around us that you must plow deep or expect 

 the corn to wither when the drouth comes. I frequently go down 

 and visit my nephew, who is trying to cultivate some of this Jersey 

 land, and I tell him what I believe, and Avliat his experience is pro- 

 ving to be true, that even the sands are better and more fruitful when 

 plowed deep and fertilized liberally. In Atlantic county and on 

 lands near Salem I have seen corn all burned up with the sun when 

 the plowing was shallow. I have touched upon laws just as ini mu- 

 table as that of gravitation, and I trust that the day will come when 

 what is spoken of in this Club shall cease to mislead the people, 



Mr. P. T, Quinn. — I would like to ask Prof. Cook, who is authority 

 on this subject, if he can confirm Mr. Greeley's statement to tlie 

 eifeet that the soil of Salem is, in its geological formation, different 

 from that in other sections ? 



Prof. G. Jl. Cook. — Mr. Greeley states the case exaeth'. It is 

 exceptional land. David Petit is reliable in everything he reports, 

 but I do not agree with his theory at all, and I think he makes a 

 mistake, and that all those who entertain similar opinions make a 

 mistake, when they claim that shallow culture is best everywhere 

 because it happens to answer in certain localities. The exact state- 

 ment is that deep stirring of the soil is ahvays better, but it should 

 not bury the manure nor the sod : and a rotting sod will hold moist- 

 ure, and on a corn crop warrant at times a somewhat shallow furrow. 



Mr. A. S, Fuller. — It occurs opportunely that I have here an item 

 clipped from " The Practical Farmer," stating that in Bridgeton, 

 New Jersey, adjoiningthis very county of Salem, where David Petit, 

 author of the five-inch theory resides, lives George M. Davis, a pro- 

 gressive farmer. He has been located there about three years, but 

 appears to be making ra})id strides in the direction of an improved 

 system of agriculture and heavy crops. Though only twenty-two 

 years of age, last season he received from the county fair nine pre- 

 miums, and this year eighteen, including those on wheat, corn and 

 potatoes. He has been practicing, since he started, deep plowing, 

 and a friend knowing his operations sent to the office of the ])aper 

 from which I quote some samples of his vegetables. One was a purs- 



