12 
THE SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
fore their roots could re;: eh the scnitfy .supply of 
food, and at once add de;rth to poverty. By shal- 
low ploughing, and we; .-ea.sons, a little may be 
made, but it would prove lost labor to plough in 
tlie best way. if level, it may Jiowever atibrd a 
good foundation t-o locate a soil, Iw hauling it 
from .steep and rich neighboring hills; and per- 
h.aps an inch of the motive earth might aid in the 
compofiition. If analyzed, it might possess .some 
one or two properties of earthy manures, and if 
that was known, and the others added, fertilizing 
woiiid be less expensive and more certain. 
A 7th case. Suppose a rich alluvial soil is de- 
I'O.sited upon a sand Itar, and that tliis .stratum of 
soil vas live or six inches deep. Would it be 
safe to plough. through if? By ploughing thro’, 
it wmuld give the root.s an unprohtable access to 
the barren sand, open the way ibr the rich .soil to 
sink, and effect an unprofitable mixture, and 
most of alluvial soils are of a good compo.sitioL. 
If not, it might prove .safer to add to tiian to 
break through the soil. 
An 8th case may be supposed by reversing the 
Tth. That is, suppose a sand bar of 6 or 12 inch- 
es deep covers a rich black or blue clay or mud. 
Expeiiments have tested that by ploughing up 
the cla}'' the most fertile and productive soils 
Jiave been made in bottom lands, especially 
whe”e the stratum of clay was the original soil. 
Many other cases might be supposed connect- 
ed with other peculiar circmnstances. Enough 
however is written to establish this truth — that 
circumstances must varj" cases even in different 
])arts sometimes of the same field. And to con- 
tend for deep ploughing indiscriminately, would 
be, as stud, like a quack using one medicine or 
cour.sa of practice to cure all diseases. The 
abo .'e remarks, however, are only intended to 
appiv in the preparation of lands for cultivation, 
and HOC to the ploughing of crops, when planted. 
As circumstances wiU there be again different, 
that part of our .subject will be reserved for a fu- 
ture ■vrticle. 
V.’ e have shovm that the depth of plough- 
ing in fallow lands must be regulated by the 
different circumstances of soil, .subsoil, &c.— - 
The same circumstances mu.st not only have 
their bearing in cultivation, but others necessari- 
ly arise, which must still change the depth in 
ploughing. The objects of fallow plougliing 
were to improve the soil by admixture with the 
subsoil, and exposure to the winter or spring at- 
mosphere, as well as to pulverize it. The la.st 
object of the three is still to be kept in view, 
while the other two have accomplished their 
ends. Science has taught us and facts bear tes- 
timony, that exposttre of subsoil to a winter at- 
juosphere collects carbon and nitrogen, and to a 
summer atmosphere causes evaporation. An- 
other item in fallowing is to turn the grass and 
weed seed under deep enough to prevent their 
coming itp, which, if avoidable, should not be 
raised on the .surface again. The chief objects 
in cultivation are therefore to pulverize, to kill 
grass or weeds, and according to the nature of 
the plant cultivated, to hill up. If the soil is 
sulffciently porous, that circumstance should be 
kept in view. If too porous, that should have 
its bearing. Let us suppose, in the first place, 
that the fallow plougliing has turned up a turf 
or sod four or six inches deep. It will follow of 
course, that in the finst ploughing for cultivation 
this turf must be broken and crumbled its full 
depth. And to carr}' outthe principle laid doivn, 
the plough should be constructed so to work as 
not to reverse the surface again, which may be 
effected by a long naiTow pointed shovel. This 
iteing done as a first ploughing after planting, a 
que.stion noiv arisc.s — is the object of pulverizing 
sufficiently effected, so as to render any further 
labor unnecessary upon that score? In .sandy or 
porous lands, there can be no doubt upon this 
question. But even in stiff clay lands, experi- 
tnental facts can be adduced, made in different 
.'reasons, to prove that two ploughings 4 inches 
deep, will secure moisture and porosity sufff- 
cientlv for the root.s of com or cotton to play a.s 
deep as ploughed that year. In stiff lands, 
heavy rains may cause a crust one or two inches 
on the .-urface. IMov’ as all experienced plant- 
ers know that lands may be ea.sily made too por- 
ous, and that a ceitain degree of solidity is ne- 
cessary to protect the roots of plants ff'om a cold 
atmo.sphere, and the burning rays of the sum- 
met ’s sun; when tlie tnre object is cflLmfed, an 
injury will be sustained, if carried too far; or to 
say tire least, the labor is lost. Tow-third.s of 
oiu' planters, however, will urge that clay lands 
will (to use a common phrase.) cake after every 
heav'Uaiii- But this error arises from the fact 
that the first ploughings have not been over or 
very little over two inches deep; for if those 
who are thus deceived would throw off' the loose 
earth around a i'urrow, and measure tlie solid 
part perpendicular, they would discover a mis- 
take in the suppo.scd depth. And it is certain 
that old Stitt' lands, not ploughed over two inch- 
es deep, Avill consolidate as deep after every 
heavy rain. If the.se premises are sustained, 
the only remaining object as far as purferizing 
is to effect any good, is 'to .stir the surface crust, 
if fonned. But here, at least, one half of our 
planters will say, the roots of com and cotton 
ought to be cut to make a better production. — 
And it is not hard to account for this com and 
cotton destroying mistake, 'I'he first ploughings 
as the earth was hard and the ploughs uirfftied 
for the purpose, har'e only effected a kind of scar- 
ification of a deep soil; the roots are of course 
confined on the siu’face, and if ploughed at all 
must Ite cut any Avay; it is therefore better to 
]/lough deep now than never, even for the v/oun- 
ded roots to have depth of soil to branch in, than 
to leave them uncut, to perish on the smface, for 
Avant of soil and moi.stm'e. It is argued some- 
timms that roots should be cut upon the principle 
of pinning trees, Aunes, &c. But if Ave argue 
upon this principle of nature, it goes to condemn 
the practice. We cut the top that the roots may 
be better enabled to sustain the remaining top. 
And to test the principle, let a young plant of 
com be draAA'n itp in a Avet season and trans- 
planted, and in two cases out of three an ear 
will ncAnj be produced of any size; yet, let tbe 
frost or an animal cutdoAcn the top Avhen young, 
and the ear will be equally good. Further, if a 
young tree is raised and transplanted, the more 
root left the more certain and rapid the groAvth 
of the tree. If any, hoAvcA'cr, still doubt upon 
this question, let them make a fair experiment 
by ploughing from four to six inches deep, ac- 
cording to the soil, &c. the tAvo first Avorkings; 
and after one or tAvo inches deep, taking care not 
to cut the roots by the hoe in hilling, selecting 
two acres Avith equal advantages othenvise, cut- 
ting the roots of one, and aA'oiding the other as 
far as practicable. And results mu.st vary from 
experiments made by others, or proof av ill be af- 
forded to settle the question. 
If this question be e.stablished, the only re- 
maining object in the next two ploughings (ma- 
king 3 in the cultriation,) should be directed 
upon the plan calculated to pulverize the crust, 
and kill the grass mmst speedily. And for this, 
one eagle plough is Avorth two, (if not three,) 
of the Avidest and best shoA'els. What Ave call 
the eagle plough about Monticello, is not what 
is called the scraper, or the clumsy imitations 
of the eagle plough used in many sections of the 
State; but a plough AA'liich finishes a middle of 
feet, (it of equal di.stance) by one furroA^; or 
a 5 feet middle by two furroAvs; Avithout running 
over one, or one and a halt inch, in depth. 
This plough, if .skilfully made, set and man- 
aged, will kill grass more effectually than a 
shovel; leaA^e the middles in a better state for 
the roots to haA'e play upon all tlie soil ; the mid- 
dles ]e.ss liable to wash; by running two furroAvs 
in a middle, hill up corn or cotton, so as to cov- 
er grass in the drill ; and yet not lieaAfier in draft 
than a wide shovel. 
Much more might be Avritten upon the many 
important circumstances and principles, con- 
nected Avith this subject; but enough for the 
present object of this article : AA'hich is not only 
to afford the advantage of the experience of the 
Avriter to young planters, but to draw out the ex- 
perience and discoA'eries of others, Avhich may 
go to confii m true ’ rinciples, and to coirect anv 
errors aclA'anced; fur the grand o'lject of agricul- 
tural societies and papers, is or should be, to 
collect and lieasure up the wi.mon of the many, 
and to encuurage all to lurlhcr di^cove.ties. 
Mor; riui-Lno. 
Ttirq.cr, n c Advocote. 
HOW TO MARK A LARGE GOT'i ON CROP. 
Extract fri-in cn (.rliiJcr u iiaked in the Al Cuitiv. l jr 
This improvement,' Avhen it .\-hall iuo'e attain- 
ed it.s liighe.st .state of perfecticn, ccntenq.late.'' 
the '^sydem oj rouifa-rj' m planting, under A-.iiich 
the land designed tor cotton fies the previous 
year in tl.e state of falloAV, Avhicii i.-' is'iiiia 1} ex- 
perience most faA'orable to the giCAVth and iiuit- 
tulne.ss of the plant. 1 commence the prepara- 
tory operations for pfiauting about tne l.-^t of 
Maicli. by spreading iipcn the land Lroaauw tA'.'o 
to three hundred bii.-hels of manure per acre — 
light stock Axard and .stable compost. 1 then run 
otf the laud in roAv.s of three feet Avith a scooter 
ploAV, opening a good fiirroAV some three to four 
inches deep; this done, I take a large sized sho- 
vel ploAV and cross the scooter furroAvs by roAvs, 
running at right angles, of fiA'e feet Avide. I ain 
noAv prepared to commence manuring in the 
hill, having first ascertained that I haA'e 2b40 
hills on each acre, Avhich Avill require, by gwing 
each hill a half gallon of manure — srane kind 
of compost — 18-1 bushels nearly, Avhich I haul 
on the land in a cart, first graduated to a certain 
number of bushels, and Avith .spades likewise 
prepared for the puipo.se, I deposit the requisite 
quantity of manure in each hill. By thi.s means, 
which in practice will be found simple and ex;- 
peditious enough, I give four to fiA'e hundred 
bushels of manure to each acre — an infallible in- 
surance for 5000 lbs. of a superior staple per 
acre. As the manure is pfiaced in the hill by 
roAA's, the Avide Avay, a short distance in advance, 
a good plow hand follows Avith a turn ploAA) which 
should run into the soil from six io eight inches 
deep at least, and turn Avell, with Avhich four fur- 
roAvs are throAAUi together on each row; thus fix- 
ing the half gallon of manime in each hill, en- 
tirely Avithin the region of constant moisture . — 
This gwes me a fine, large bed, and well broke, 
to lie until at or about the first of April, when 
the cotton seed should be planted. This is done 
by first opening the bed as shallow as possible, 
with some instrument such as that described by 
M. W. Philips, Esq. in the March number of 
the 9th vml. of the CultiA^ator. This I prefer to 
any other instrument of the kind I liaA^e ever yet 
seen, since its depth of farroAV may be graduated 
to a positwe certainty so as to avoid disturbing 
the manure in the hill; it should not be opened 
out deeper than one inch. The bed thus. open- 
ed, and the seed preAfiously rolled in leeched a.sh- 
es or sand, AAdiich ansAver A’eiy Avell, though i 
prefer a compound of tAvo parts of ashes to one 
of common salt made moist AAoth Avater; the 
seed, well rolled in this, are carefully dropped 
OA'er the manure. Eight or ten seed in a place 
Avill answer to secure a stand. There Avill be no 
difficulty in dropping the .seed over the manure 
in the hill, AA^en it is recollected and obserA^ed 
that upon the unbroken space of some tAvo feet 
betAA’een each roAV, the scooter furroAA's Avill be 
found an unerring guide to the manure in the 
bed at distances of three feet. The seed thus 
dropped I prefer to liaA^e coA^ered AAuth a hoe, 
lightly and carefully; hearing in mind this golden 
truth,' that “a crop AA^ell planted is half made.” — 
Immediately after planting, the middles or un- 
broken balks should be plowed out. The crop 
of cotton thus planted, Avhich should not exceed 
three to four acres to the hand, may be performed 
in good time and Avell done. In a feAv days, say 
nine to tAveh'e, the cotton Avill he up, presenting 
a most healthy and thrifty appearance. The 
next operation to he perfonned, as early as pos- 
sibly couA-enient, is to plougli out the middles 
loeli, the Avide way, AAdth a good shovel plough, 
having first nm around the young plant with a 
scooter plough. The hoe hands folloAv and thin 
the cotton doAvn to tAvo stalks, giving it a small 
quantity of soil. This operation well done, the 
