152 



THE WHEAT CULTUKIST. 



fertilizing elements may be made, bnt those lying inert, 

 concealed in tlie debris of rocks, or waiting admixtm^e 

 to excite into action, are reduced or enlivened, and thus 

 add to the power of the soil. A mellow soil attracts, 

 as well as takes up, more moisture than a hard one. It 

 is thus more likely to be in a state fitted for receiving 

 benefit from the air, from its own ever-working forces, 

 and from the mechanical stirring and manipulation it 

 receives. 



" Thorough Gultiire^ lastly, is the only profitable way 

 of managing a summer fallow, or any part of the farm. 

 To plough carelessly, with half-turned furrows and fre- 

 quent balks ; to leave the field for weeks to grow up 

 to grass and weeds ; to plough but four or six inches 

 deep where one owns good soil much farther down, is 

 some distance from the right way — from the true uses 

 of the summer fallow." 



Advantages of Summer Fallowing. 



On tliis subject, " Colman's Rural World " says : 

 " It is well known that ploughing benefits land. 

 This is especially the case with clay land, which is 

 apt to have sufiered from treatment, of which wet 

 ploughing is a noted example. The sun and frost have 

 an ameliorating infiuence. But the infiuence is confined 

 mainly to the surface. Hence, frequent ploughing, in 

 its course, exposes all the soil; and even the subsoil, 

 which has never seen the light, can then with great bene- 

 fit be brought up. That is the time to convert this raw 

 clay soil or any under-soil, into mellow, useful ground. 



" Land can be fallowed and lie idle one year with 

 lyrofit. The soil is so thoroughly improved, that in this 



