PLOUGHING—DEEP OR SHALLOW?

Patea Mail, Volume III, Issue 306, 23 March 1878, Page 4

PLOUGHING—DEEP O R SHALLOW?

[By “.Agricola,” iu the Auckland Herald.'] “ Plough often, plough deep, keep continually ploughing. Nature’s storehouse, the air, will replenish soil so disintegrated with many a manurial clement of prime value.” fchich is the language found in a recent work on the “ Essentials of Successful Farming.” At Waiuku Mr John Wallace has lately been holding forth on the subject oi'ploug-hing- ; and ids teachings, it would seem, have thrown “ A Settler,” who has written to the Herald on the subject, into a state of bewilderment. He wants some explanation or some further light on the subject. Mr Wallace is reported to have said that he knew somebody who had tried an experiment in regard to ploughing. One portion was ploughed •deep, and weeds sprang up in great abundance ; the other portion lie scarified and gave a fair supply of manure. The wheat came up, choked the weeds, and on this portion of the farm he had a splendid -crop; and he thought that shallow ploughing and good manuring would pay well iu this province. From this report it is impossible to decide whether it was the man that grew the wheat or Mr Wallace himself who believes iu shallow ploughing. Probably they both entertain the same opinions. • Like “ A Settler” I was rather startled at the doctrine enunciated at Waiuku ; and, like him, I should be glad if Mr Wallace will kindly throw a little more light on this very important subject. If the statement had been to the effect that shallow ploughing might do well for some particular paddock, or for some special locality, it might have been quite correct; s but to talk about shallow ploughing as suited to the entire province, in which such a diversity of soils exists, seems remarkable. DIFFERENCES OF OPINION HELD. In the matter of deep or shallow ploughing there are a variety of opinions entertained, and facts are brought forth and reiterated to support these opinions, “ Plough deep” is the cry of a great many. “ Stir the subsoil, and loosen it, so that roots can penetrate,” is the advice of others. On the other hand, some affirm that shallow ploughing is the test. But does it not all depend on the soil—its condition, depth, richness, and so on ? And have not these particulars to be taken into consideration ? “ One man will plough deep in; a. rich virgin soil vhat has no bottom, and receive a ' heavy crop of straw but no wheat, the growth of straw being too rank and coarse to allow of the proper maturity of the plant and the production of seed. Another man will plough old, worn-out ground that has been cropped successively from fifteen to twenty Stimes before, aridlie will receive a crop of straw or grain. Some one the succeeding year will go into the deep virgin soil, ami-understand-ing its condition and nature will just scar the surface and put in his seed and will harvest a heavy crop of grain. Some one else ,will succeed to the poor,, wornout land, and knowing the condition and nature, will plough it about two inches deeper than it lufdever been ploughed before, and in-turn he, too, will harvest a good crop.” Now, would it not be a preposterousthing for the fanner with the deep virgin soil, who gets a good crop by just scratching it, to advise every other farmer to try the same method-, of scratching ? And would it not bo equally absurd lor the farmer who harvested a good crop by ploughing tvfo inches deeper than usual to tell everybody else,to do tbe same? So that when’tho report goes forth to the world that this man got a splendid crop by deep ploughing, and the ocher man got a magnificent crop by shallow ploughing. all other circumstances should be taken into consideration—such as the nature of the soil, what .crop it carried previously, what manure had been applied, how it had been worked ? - VARIETY OP SOILS. What a contrast between the fertile sandhills in tbe neighbourhood of Awitn and the cold day lauds of the Whan, or between the rich loams .of some of the Waikato districts and the miserable land of Mnogawal. How different in formation and quality she land at Bombay and .some of that v.t Hanna. These various classes ci land require altogether different treat-mc-u-; audit is in these matters that the sd‘ nee of agriculture is so much required. Farming is not supposed to bemere chance work; it. is based upon scientffie principles. And farmers ought t- know boii the theory and practice of their calling. “ bomo subsoils are rich with vegetable man - " - *' ami sufficiently porous to allow ox the'penetration of plant roots, and so fine in grain, as to afford these roots ail the TuiuiTuvnit they require for a healthy growth. Other subsoils, with very nearly -r.ffa same sun ace. soil, as iu the first irWamo,; 'are a' hard, compact, iuipcne--.'■ablo Hay, and can only be rendered porous enough to ajloiy roots o! plants to outer by a'thorough Breaking up and mixing with, the surface soil. Now, the farmer must know the condition and nHur» of those soils, and work them '. iiccorcuagly. . The one ho .must plough shallow, completely ; paK:-rising, the'sou stirred so thatfit.m ay-diet q's a which tothat below, keeping it moist and in good’ plant-feeding-condition.- The other for tiie' same crop sind'in the-same season he mustplongh deep, thoroughly pulverising and mixing the different. soils together’ as doen as ho expects the loots of ius grain to penetrate. In this, way—that

is, by applying his knowledge of scientific principles to these two kinds of soil, he makes a success of farming.” DEEP CULTURE RECOMMENDED. Of late years great pi ogress has been made ia agriculture. One of the most important questions under consideration has been whether deep culture is beneficial or not ? This matter lias caused much discussion amongst practical and scientific men. And I shall give a few extracts to show what conclusions have been arrived at by some of the most eminent agriculturists. One authority states : The opinion is gaining ground daily that in the deep culture of the soil lies the future of agriculture, and that the problem that must be solved by our agricultural mechanics is the means, best and cheapest, by which this deep culture can be secured. As this deep-culture question is one which is at present attracting much attention, and is likely for some time to attract more, and as some of the points involved in its consideration have a very close and intimate bearing upon the -subject of agricultural mechanism, we may, perhaps, be permitted to give now' what we have given elsewhere about it. As to the value of a thorough pulverisation of, the soil, agriculturists long divided are now fast approximating in opinion. Few, indeed, are ignorant of the immense advantages resulting from allowing the atmospheric influences to soften the soil. A second authority says:—“ If it .were not foreign to the question, it would certainly lead .me to too great a length to enter upon the inquiry how far this deeper, cultivation promotes a greater deposit of dew, checks the evaporation of moisture from the surface, and supplies the place of the evaporation which docs take place from the stores, of moisture beneath the surface. These considerations involve what may be called the question of what shall be the principle of future cultivation of the soil. It is no use to say, as has been said, that this deep ■ pulverisation of the soil is not required, because all experience wherever it is adopted shows that it has been enimentiy successful in raising lands from the lowest conditions of stcrlity to the fullest degree of fertility. If examples are required, go to the fields of Flanders.” Stephens thus sums up the advantages of deep culture ; —“ The porosity of the subsoil should assist in a marked degree the desicating power of drains, and promote the circulation of air through its m'sas. Its capillarity should supply moisture from the effects of the drains below to the roots of plants growing in the upper soil, in proportion to the intensity of evaporation ot the moisture from the surface in dry weather. In its comminuted state it should absorb moisture from the ..dews, and from the lower portion of the atmosphere at night in a period of draught. The mixture of the constituents of the surface soil and subsoil should induce action of the electric element. The great depth of pulverised subsoil should afford on extensive field for the food-searching fibres of roots of plants to grow in, and it should place a large portion of the subsoil itself beyond the reach of the ever-changing conditions of the seasons.” suusoiling. ' The special advantages resulting from the work of subsoiling are—that a free passage is afforded for the percolation of rain water, and the fibres of 'the roots of plants can penetrate in search of food. On clay lands with a retentive subsoil, this particular work is very necessary; but it has been proved that the productiveness of even gravel is increased by snbsoiling. In performing this work it .is customary for a second plough, without a mould-board, to follow the first, thus loosening the subsoil, but not bringing it upwards.. CONCLUSION. In answer to the question, therefore, whether ploughing should be deep or shallow, there is, I think, little doubt that the opinion of practical men Would be on the side of deep ploughing. If, for example, Mechi be taken as an authority, it is well known that he was a thorough and consistent believer in deep culture as well as in sobsoiling. And many others have the same kind of faith, and pooh pooh the idea and practice of cultivating just a few .inches of the earth’s surface. In fact, one great and important lesson to be learned from a proper retrospect of what has been done in agriculture during the past few years, is this, that in the deeper cultivation of the soil, and in the finer preparation of its surface, are the means of wonderfully increasing its productiveness. And that is a matter to which farmers should devote particular attention. - To assist in the increase of the fertility of their land is what they should not neglect. And it by ploughing two or three inches deeper their crops are larger and better, then they will see and appreciate the wisdom of the advice given as a quotation at the beginning of this article—“ Plough often, plough deep, keep continually ploughing.” kr Wallace’s explanation. I was just about to post this article, when I saw Mr W allaco’s letter having reference to the speech he made at Waiuku. It appears that his meaning was mistaken. 1 was very glad to see, from the following quotation, that Mr Wallace, like other practical and experienced agriculturists,.has no faith in just scratching the soil. He says: “ Your correspondent, “ Settler,” as well as those friends who have been badgering me, will see that I am no believer in shallow ploughing.” I was under the

impression from the first that there was a mistake somewhere. - However, it has given an opportunity to ventilate the matter, an.d it is to be hoped that the Auckland farmers will one and all go in for thorough cultivation. As there have been some excellent crops of wheat this season, that should prove a stimulus to sowing that cereal, more especially as Auckland wheat is so prized by the millers.