resses or
peppergrass, and see no reason for their cultivation, but their rapid
growth.

PLOWING.

This is one of the most important matters in soil-culture. When, how,
and how much, shall we plow? are the three questions involving the
whole. When should plowing be done? As it respects wet or dry, plow
sandy or gravelly land whenever you are ready. It will neither be hard
when dry, nor injured by being plowed when very wet. Good loams may be
plowed at all times except when excessively wet. Clays can only be
worked profitably when neither excessively wet or dry. Plowing land in a
warm rain is almost equal to a coat of manure. Plowing in a light snow
in the spring will injure it the whole season. We have noticed a marked
difference in corn growing but a rod apart, on land where snow was
plowed in, and the other plowed two or three days later, after the snow
was gone; this difference was noticeable in the rows throughout the
entire field. Spring or fall plowing is a question that has been much
discussed. Sod-land is better plowed in the fall. The action of winter
rains and frosts on the turf is beneficial. The same is true of land
trenched deep, where much of the hard, poor subsoil is brought to the
surface: it is benefited by winter exposure. Other cultivated fields are
injured by fall-plowing, unless it be very early. All stubble-land is
much benefited by being plowed as soon as the grain is taken off. The
weeds and stubble, plowed under, will be decomposed by the warm weather
and rains, and benefit the soil almost as much as an ordinary coat of
manure. Plowed late, such action does not take place, and the surface is
injured by winter-exposure: hence, do all the _early_ fall-plowing
possible, but plow nothing _late_ in the fall but sod-land.

How shall we plow? All land should be subsoiled, except that having a
light, porous subsoil; one deep plowing on such land is sufficient.
Subsoiling is done by using two teams at once--one with a common plow,
running deep, and the other with a subsoil-plow with no mould-board, and
which will, consequently, stir and disintegrate the earth to the depth
at which it runs, without throwing it to the surface. The next
surface-furrow will cover up this loosened subsoil. In this way, land
may be plowed eighteen inches deep, to the great benefit of any crop
grown on it. If the surface be well manured, this method of plowing will
place the manure between the first furrow and the subsoil,