THE CULTIVATOR. 
131 
PLOWING. 
The season for commencing active operations in the 
field having arrived, it may not be out of place to sub¬ 
mit a few remarks on the subject of plowing, as this is 
perhaps the most important operation in field culture, 
and one which should be performed with most care and 
attention. No amount of extra labor in the after culture 
can compensate for a defect in the plowing of the ground; 
and he is most certainly an improvident and unwise far¬ 
mer who will allow his grounds to be imperfectly broken 
up in the preparation fora crop. We are aware that in 
submitting our views upon this subject, we shall be met 
by the remark so often made, that every body knows how 
to plow, and that no directions are needed upon this point. 
While it is freely admitted that every man can learn to 
plow well, it is by no means clear that all do thus per¬ 
form this branch of their farm labor. Should we make 
this admission, we fear that in our rambles the great 
number of poorly plowed fields which may be found in 
nearly every neighborhood, would be constantly re¬ 
proaching us with injustice, while we should get no 
thanks from the plowmen whose work we had so un¬ 
justly recommended. There has evidently been great 
improvement in this branch of farming in the last five 
years, more indeed than in ten or even twenty previous 
ones, but truth requires us to say that not one half of the 
land in this country is well plowed even in this age of 
improvement, and when public attention is directed to 
new methods in cultivating the soil as well as to im¬ 
provements in the mechanic arts. Were we to look for 
the cause of improvement in plowing, we should un¬ 
doubtedly be led in our investigations to the plowing 
matches which have in the last five years been held un¬ 
der the direction.of different agricultural associations as 
the apparent cause of much of the improvement which 
is to be seen at the present day. The origin, the first 
cause of these improvements, may doubtless be traced to 
discussions and reflections which appeared many years 
ago in some of the agricultural journals. To no man 
are we more indebted for the impetus which has been 
given to this branch of agriculture than to Judge Buel. 
In this, as in all things pertaining to the interests of the 
farmer, he urged the necessity of advances towards per¬ 
fection, and the skill which is now so often shown in the 
operations of the plowman, shows that the subject has 
gained much from investigation. 
We would not be unmindful of the great aid which 
agriculture has received at the hands of mechanical ge¬ 
nius, and in no branch of farm labor has science contri¬ 
buted in a greater degree to relieve both man and team 
from fatigue and toil. Had nothing more been done 
through the instrumentality of our agricultural societies 
than the improvements in the plow, their high aim would 
have been in no small degree accomplished, and farmers 
would be well repaid for all the time and money ex¬ 
pended in their support. To the men who have contri¬ 
buted in so great a degree to improve farm implements 
our warmest thanks are justly due, and it is really gratify¬ 
ing to know that some of these men are receiving a pat¬ 
ronage proportionate to their efforts at improvements. 
In an article upon this subject, which was published in 
many of the agricultural papei-s some three yeai*s ago, 
we remai-ked that “ any man of oi’dinary strength and 
good common sense can learn to plow well,” and we are 
happy to see that a great number who at that time did 
not perform their work in a proper manner, are now 
among our best plowmen. We have seen no reason to 
change the opinion then expressed, although it would 
hardly do to reverse the px-oposition, and say that the 
man who does not thus perform his work is destitute of 
common sense. It may, however, with truth be said 
that he is blind to his own interests, and very little hope 
can be entertained that he will ever contribute his share 
to the common stock of agricultural knowledge. 
We now beg leave to invite all our readers to accom¬ 
pany us to the field where we can witness the practical 
operations of the plowman, and where, unlike the mere 
theoretical speculations in the office or by the fire side, 
we can learn from actual demonstration the difference 
between good and bad plowing. Here is a field partly 
plowed over, but it is not done exactly according to our 
notion, and we will try our hand at the work. Those 
furrows are too crooked, the soil is not all properly turn¬ 
ed, and then you see one end of the land is finished while 
the other is a rod wide. The team must turn several 
times in the middle of the land before the work will be 
completed. Perhaps we shall not do the work better, 
but we’ll ti*y, and keep trying until we succeed. First 
let us have the plow in good order, the guage-wheel pi*o- 
perly adjusted, the mold-board bright anil smooth, then 
give us the reinsand set a stake yonder at the further end 
of the land and see if we don’t make a straight furrow. 
There! fifty rods long and as straight as a line; no 
crooked places to spoil the work of the whole land. 
Now, we will turn another furrow, not on the first, but 
so the edges will just meet and continue to “back fur- 
row,” until our land is about half done, then go round the 
land, keeping every fun*ow perfectly straight, and straight¬ 
ening all the crooked places, so that one furrow will fin¬ 
ish the whole length without turning. How much bettei 
this land looks than the one poorly done, and then how 
much more prospect of a good crop. Every inch of 
ground is broke, and every sod is turned, and the whole 
land presents a neat and workmanlike appearance. But 
we had forgotton to strike a fui-row across each end of 
the field, about a rod from the fence, so that we may have 
ample room for the team to turn, while the ends of the 
furrows are even and uniform. The plow must not be 
suffered to cross this line until turned out of the ground. 
Some of our readers may think it easier to give direc- 
tions than to do the work. To such we can only say, 
call on us any day in plowing time, and we will endea¬ 
vor to satisfy you that we know something of the use of 
the plow, and that we have spent more time between the 
plow-handles than in writing for publication. 
Much might be said of the propriety of deep or shal¬ 
low plowing, but as there is not room in this article we 
will only remark that in our judgment deep plowing on 
almost all soils is beneficial, especially after that portion 
of the subsoil turned to the surface has been some time 
exposed to the action of the frost and to the melioi’ating 
influences of the light, heat, &c. We do not consi¬ 
der it certain that the first ci’op is always benefited by 
deep plowing, but that the soil is permanently improved 
by such process there cannot, we think, be the slightest 
doubt. The subsoil plow is, however, the article best 
calculated to improve all our heavy and retentive soils, 
and it is hoped the time is not far distant when it will be 
in common use among farmers as much perhaps as the 
common plow. It may not, and probably will not, be 
found necessary to resort to deep storing of the soil ev¬ 
ery year, but as often once in every course of crops, or 
every three or four years, great benefits would be derived 
from this operation. 
Neither do we propose to discuss now to any extent 
the merits of a flat or lapped furrow, although much dif¬ 
ference of opinion exists among farmers on this subject. 
It seems clear that on all wet or tenacious lands the fur¬ 
row slice should be lapped; and we suppose the opinion 
also is generally held, that on dry and porous soils flat 
furrows are preferable. Of the correctness of this last 
proposition our own convictions are not very clear, and 
we continue on nearly all soils to lap the fux-row slight¬ 
ly, thus exposing full one third more surface and leaving 
it in condition to be acted upon by the harrow with good 
effect. 
That there has been very manifest improvement in the 
practice of farmers in plowing their grounds we have 
the best evidence in the fields every where presented to 
our view, in which the straight and handsomely turned 
fui’rows, the smooth and unbroken soil, and other evi¬ 
dences of skill and workmanship all prove that the spirit 
of inquiry and of improvement is abroad, and that a 
complete change in this department of agriculture is now 
taking place. 
We have already alluded to the very great improve¬ 
ments in the manufacture of plows, and would again say 
that without this advantage our present state of cultiva¬ 
tion would not have been reached. There are many 
good plows in use in different sections of the country, 
but the farmers are slow to adopt (hem in place of old 
