Subsoiling

Manawatu Times, Volume LII, Issue 3625, 15 June 1927, Page 6

Subsoiling

(To The Editor.) Sir,—Wo were very pleated to notice in your issue a few days ago a paragraph dealing with subsetting. Wo have been endeavouring by dls. tribution of descriptive booklets, to interest farmers In this system' oi tillage, and we are glad to notice some publicity being given to the subject by your paper. Surely, however, there has been a-misprint when you say that subsoiling is not effec- ■ tive at a greater depth than Bin. The actual depth at which* aubsoillng should be done must necessarily depend upon local conditions, but will vary probably, from 12 to 24 inches, and even 30 inches in extreme cases. Briefly stated, subsolling or to use a more descriptive term, pan-buating, consists of shattering by means of a chisel drawn underground at the required depth, the pan which is to bo found under nearly all cultivated land. This pan may be , either natural hard pan which varies greatly In depth, or it may -be an artificial plough pan formed as a result of successive ploughing® of the surface soil, and the action of rain. This pan will usually lie at about a ' depth of eight Inches from the surface. In either case It is difficult for , deep-rooting plants to push their roots through the pan unless it is artificially broken up. The breaking of the pan also provides additional storage space for moisture which is . thus Available in dry seasons. Pan-busting should be done when the pan is hard and dry so that it may shatter well without disturbing the top soil. The great obstacle to this being done hitherto has been ;the fact that It requires considerable power to break up really hard pan, and the ordinary light tractor is m-actleallv useless for tho work which is quite Ineffective if not thoroughly done. To-day. however, tractors are to be had having both the. power and traction to do his work at a remarkiHy low cost. If any of your readers are interested In this subject, we should bo "leased to mall them, freo of charge, some Interesting information on the A. R r- CO- LTD nSTote: Tho do nth given .in tho article In onesftnn should have read 1R inches —»tari