THE WHEAT CIJLTUEIST, 



121 



of soil, so that the roots miTst necessarily strike deep 

 before they can reach -the necessary sustenance, they 

 will be lifted out and broken by the frost after freezing 

 only a few times. 



l^^ow, if we could invert only a few inches in depth 

 of the soil — say three or four inches— and then pulver- 

 ize the soil below this thin stratum of surface soil, thus 

 keeping the largest proportion of humus and available 

 fertilizers near the surface of the earth, there is no 

 doubt but that we should see a very remarkable differ- 

 ence in more abundant crops of grain ; and at the same 

 time, it would be of a better quality, as its growth would 

 not be stinted by the frosts of winter. 



To show that this theory of cultivation is philosophi- 

 cal and practically correct, I will simply refer to the 

 practice formerly in vogue, of sowing wheat on newly- 

 cleared land, after the surface had been simply har- 

 rowed — or without ploughing any part of the ground. 

 Winter-killing of wheat, when put in thus, was seldom 

 complained of. As there was but little depth to the 

 soil, all the roots spread out horizontally ; and it was 

 almost impossible for the young plants to be injured by 

 the freezing and thawing of the surface of the field. 



On this subject the editor of the Baltimore " Sun " 

 writes : " The importance to the farmer of understand- 

 ing the habits and peculiar characteristics of the plants he 

 cultivates, as well as the nature and quality of his soil, 

 is frequently illustrated. Let us take the wheat plant 

 for instance, and we find, by almost common consent, it 

 is best provided for in a shallow seed-bed. Yery deep 

 ploughing is thought to be not only unnecessary, but 

 absolately injurious. The young plants seem to need a 

 firm under-stratum, not far from the surface, to imbed 



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