No. 63. J C41 



" I will here explain the principle of the subsoil plovr, because I 

 have found that many persons, although seemingly acquainted vritli 

 it, have not the proper notion of the principle on which it is based. 

 The grtrat principle is that there are many subsoils, vrhicb, though 

 capable of being converted into a good soil, yet il" brought up and 

 mixed with the active soil, will so far deteriorate it as to make it 

 for some time sterile. It therefore occurred to me that the great 

 point would be to stir up the < :' - '. still retaining the good soil on 

 the surface. Stirring up the > would, in the drst place, very 



much facilitate the escape of the water into the drains; and second- 

 ly, in consequence of the passage of the water tlirough tlie stirred up 

 subsoil, and the attendant admission of air. it would be so acted upon 

 as to be converted into gooil soil, while at the same time I was hav- 

 ing all the advantages of working the active soil as before.'^ 



Having treated of the process and noticed some of the advantages 

 derived from subsoil plowing, I will now endeavor to give a descrip- 

 tion of some of the implemeiits made use of for that purpose, three 

 of which are of European, and one of Americaii manulacture. In 

 proof of the estimation in which subsoiling is held in England, I 

 would state that no less than eight subsoil plows were entered for 

 competition and exhibition at the Fair of the Royal Agricultural So- 

 ciety, held in Bristol in July last. 



jte. 



The subsoil plow is not anew invention, but was in use in England 

 more tban hfty years ago, and recently brought inio prominent notice 

 by Wt. Smith of Deanston, Scotland. lu Dickson's Report of Lan- 

 cashire is the following notice of the ^* Miner or deep-stirring plow:" 



" There is another tool of the plow kind, somewhat similar in con- 

 struction, which was introduced into the country about the same pe- 

 riod as the 'Trench plow.* It simply consists of a plow share firm- 

 ly fixeil to a strong beam by means of a strong sheath and handle, 

 without any mold board. It is usually drawn by four or more hor- 

 ses, being made to folJow in the furrow of the common plow, so as 

 to penetrate into, loosen and siir up the under soil, without turning 

 it up, to the depth of from eight to fourteen inches below the track 

 in which that plow had gone." 



The above figure represents one of Smith's subsoil plows, and the 

 following description of it is taken from Mr. Morton's prize essay, 

 published in the *' Farmer's Magazine," (London) of Julv last. Mr. 

 Morton says, ** Smith's subsoil plow consists of the ordinary frame- 

 work of a plow; without the moldboard. made strons enough to stand 



[Senate No. 63.] F* 



