PROFIT AND HONOR IN FARMING. 
441 
Thus the injurious effects of a protracted drouth are nearly 
all obviated by very deep-plowed land ; and this process will 
go on, by the laws of evaporation , as long and as deep as the 
spade or ploiv goes doivn , on the same principle and for the same 
reasons that the excess of surface water passes off by evapora¬ 
tion, where the ground is loose and porous. 
Hence the beautiful two-fold blessing is produced by this 
same operation of deep-tillage , namely ; the surface water, 
which is detrimental to plants, is allowed to pass off; and 
where more is needed at the too dry surface, it is permitted to 
rise from the deeper supplies. Therefore let us cherish and 
use these twin-workers, subsoiling and evaporation ; they pro¬ 
duce a warm, genial bed for the thrifty growth of the plant. 
They also increase the amount of yield, as well as preserve 
it, which may be demonstrated thus : Take a piece of land, 
plow it to a good depth in the start, and then, at every other 
plowing go one or two inches deeper for a series of ten or tivelve 
crops , and for that length of time , it will be found to produce 
twice as much , or more, than another similar piece of land in 
which the depth of the plowing is not materially increased after 
the first plowing ; while the increased cost of this slightly in¬ 
creased depth will be but small. Nor will the ground be as 
severely impoverished by large crops, as on shallow ground. 
Another of the beneficial effects of this deep tillage is that 
it will have the tendency to limit the quantity of land cultiva¬ 
ted to that extent which can be well and thoroughly done , and 
in some measure put a stop to that bane of handsome, prosper¬ 
ous farming, the cropping of too much land , so destructively 
prevalent in the West. Narrow, fine furrows should also be 
cut. 
Correct pactices and thoroughness of operations can alone 
procure or deserve bountiful results and rewards, in any pur¬ 
suit or business. 
And particularly in a profession so vitally important as 
Agriculture, should every thing be done in the most productive 
and economical manner. ****** 
