142 [Senate 



outlay, both of labor and manure. That impression has been deep- 

 ened by experience and observation. 



At our late cattle show and fair, 1 exhibited my subsoil plow, and 

 am satisfied, not only from the report of a committee, making grati- 

 fying mention of it as a new and valuable implement, and awarding 

 me a premium, but also from the universal curiosity excited by its ex- 

 hibition, and the equally universal marvel " what it could be for," 

 that it may not be out of place here, briefly to describe it and the 

 manner of its working. 



The subsoil plow is perhaps best described as "the common plow 

 without a mold board," and having in lieu of it, a cast iron plate 

 four or five inches wide, fastened to the share, and running back 

 (with its plane at right angles to the plane of the landsides) to the 

 heel of the plow, when it is elevated about four inches, constituting 

 an inclined plane, over which the clods broken up by the share have 

 to pass, and in their progress are still more broken and displaced. 

 The stilts most convenient, are those commonly used with the side- 

 hill plow. 



It does its work entirely below the range of the soil plow, and at 

 the bottom of the furrow made by it ; and in ordinary culture a com- 

 mon plow is always employed at the same time with the subsoiler. 



First goes the soil plow, in the usual way, turning over its slice of 

 soil, and just after it comes the subsoiler, working in the bottom of 

 the new made furrow, thoroughly disturbing and displacing but not 

 inverting the hard subsoil, to the depth (if required) of 14 inches, 

 with No. 1, and 18 or 20 with larger sizes of the plow. Then comes 

 the soil plow again, on its second round, turning over its slice of soil 

 — covering the work of the subsoiler, (not its furrow, for it makes 

 none) and uncovering a new and unbroken line of subsoil for the 

 second round of the subsoiler. Thus they alternate, and experience 

 satisfies me that two teams (one to each plow) will do as much 

 with respect to quantity, depth of furrow and ease of draft, and very 

 much more with respect to efficient and profitable tillage, than three 

 similar teams can, with the common plow in the other mode. Thus 

 at least a third of the team work is saved at the outset, besides being 

 altogether more manageable and convenient. 



Subsoil culture leaves the soil at the surface, where it is wanted — 

 inverted, but not buried — and by breaking up the subsoil, prepares it 



