130 



the ensuing spriug, the crops have iuvariably been estimated at nearly 

 double what they Nvere when the same land was plowed five or six 

 inches deep. 



6. I have used the sub-soil plow on two fields only. One, where the 

 ground was undulating, sub-soiled twenty inches deep when the ground 

 was dry, and sowed to wheat, produced less straw but more and better 

 grain; and since then, when in meadow, seeded with clover and timothy, 

 when pastured with sheep late in the spring, has produced more than 

 three tons of hay annually to the acre. This land would not have pro- 

 duced more than one-third as much hay the last two dry seasons had 

 there not been more than the common depth of soil for the grass roots 

 to penetrate. This was proved by the crop on the field adjoining. The 

 other field was nearly level and only in part sub-soiled, and that done 

 when the ground was rather wet. This land did not produce a medium 

 crop for two years afterwards, and not until it was under-drained. It is 

 now productive. There was considerable wet land in small basins and 

 swails. These have nearly all been drained with under-drains, construc- 

 ted with stone and tile, but mostly stone. Several of these drains have 

 been extended into the highest and dryest land. The results have in 

 all cases been highly beneficial, making the soil of the high land more 

 open, and easier tilled, and consequently producing better crops, and that 

 of the low land which had before been unproductive, the most produc- 

 tive and valuable part of the farm. 



1. The trees indigenous to the soil were for the most part white, 

 black, and yellow oak, white ash, black walnut, hickory, basswood, but- 

 ternut, red elm, and thorn on the dry land, and black ash, water elm, 

 soft maple, sycamore, and balm of gilead on the wet. The planta were 

 very numerous, among which were oxbalm, sarsaparilla, cowshp, and 

 marsh grass. 



MANURES. 



8. From 2.5 to 35 loads of manure (30 bushels to the load) are usu- 

 tilly applied to the acre, the quantity depending somewhat upon the 

 quality and state of the manure and the crop to be grown upon the 

 land. The main part of the manure is left in the stables where made, 

 until wanted for use. What accumulates dm-ing the winter in the 

 yards, if not used in the spring, is piled up and covered with muck or 

 soil. 



