626 Transactions of the American Institute. 



Mr. S. Kimball, Oconee, Selby connt}^, Illinois, says that deep 

 plowing is the rule there. The best of farmers are beginning to 

 plow deej)er. Last year he plowed land eight inches deep for corn, 



Mr. Lewis Brandt, 517 Sixth avenue, New York city, says : A 

 good farmer will plough deep in the autumn, and use a plow which 

 has a small plow in front, which cuts the sods oiF, throws it in the 

 furrow, where it is covered by the loose dirt from the larger one ; 

 this will rot the sod ; the soil will be warm^- ; will keep wanner all 

 winter, and in spring on deep plowed land snow will fnelt eight days 

 earlier than upon that which is unplowed. Through the fermenta- 

 tion of the sod the pores open and admit the water. By shallow 

 plowing, most of the grass and weed roots nearest to the top soil 

 will keep alive, and cannot be destroyed by the cultivator or harrow, 

 and will grow as fast as the new crop put in ; the ground will not bo. 

 as warm, as by the deep plowing it does not retain moisture as long. 

 Plowing deep in the spring will bring soil to the surface which is not 

 fit for vegetation. By deep plowing, even in spring, the perfectly 

 covered sod will rot and act advantageously to the croj), and will 

 give a better yield than by shallow plowing in spring. lie who 

 plows deep in the autumn will make very large crops, have plenty to 

 eat, feed, and sell, and keep his stock as much as possible in the stable 

 to save all manure. The spring plowman will make in one unfavora- 

 ble year small crops, and often fail entirely ; he has nothing to eat, 

 feed, or sell ; his stock runs about the whole year, and he loses all 

 the manure. 



Mr. A. G. Bisbee, of Chester Cross Roads, Ohio, says that deep 

 plowed land never dries as quick as land shallow plowed. Four years 

 ago I bought a lot for planting a vineyard, very badly worn ; had 

 been under cultivation for forty years and probably not a shovel of 

 manure had been put upon it. It is the highest -point of land in 

 northern Ohio, being two hundred feet higher than any other land, 

 except that in [the vicinity. I plowed it with two teams and two 

 plows, one following the other in the same furrow, and tlirowing up 

 the subsoil to the top. I planted out my vineyard, and planted a row 

 of potatoes between rows of grape roots. The potatoes turned the 

 finest in the country. The earth kept moist all summer to within an 

 inch of the surface. Another object in deep plowing is to bring up 

 the clay, which is one of the elements necessary for vegetable gi-owth, 

 especially the blue clay, after beiiig exposed a few years to the 

 influence of the "weather. He then cites instances to prove his asser- 



