290 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



need be no fears about putting the plow down to the desired depth 

 at once in our New England practice. 



I have practiced deep ploughing on all kinds of soil, from the 

 light, sandy, naturally drained river land, to the wet and heavy 

 high land soil, and always with beneficial effects over the former 

 shallow tillage. I have succeeded in raising heavy crops of corn, 

 grain and grass on sandy land, by plowing ten inches deep where 

 the shallow soil never before had been stirred deeper than five or 

 six inches. Some years since I came into possession of a field 

 completely run down by shallow tillage and scanty manuring. The 

 crops of grass produced barely paid for cutting and curing. The 

 double plow was put into it in the fall of the year, turning up at 

 least four inches of soil which never before had felt the plowshare, 

 and leaving it upon the surface, open to the influence of frost, air 

 and sunshine. In the spring the field was manured with twenty 

 ox-cart loads of thoroughly fine manure to the acre — a portion 

 >*5pread broadcast and the remainder put in the hills — and planted 

 to corn. The result was not like Dr. Ilexamer's, but was one of 

 the best crops ever harvested on the farm. The next year the same 

 operation was repeated on an adjoining portion of the same field 

 with still more satisfactory results. The following crop of grain 

 and the succeeding crops of grass on both pieces have confirmed 

 the wisdom of the operation. I never have hesitated to plow deep 

 .at once on any soil, and I never have been disappointed in the 

 results. 



In addition to the qualifications of a plow already enumerated, 

 it is necessary that it be light of draught, and that also it should 

 be of good material, well put together, that it may be durable. It 

 should also be capable of being easily guided by the plowman, and 

 not over-cumbersome to handle. The best plow then will come 

 the nearest to possessing the following qualifications : 



1st, Power to perfectly invert the furrow. 



2d, Power to thoroughly pulverize it. 



3d, Ability to turn a deep furrow. 



4th, Ease of draught. 



5t,h, Ease of guiding and handling. 



6th, Durability. 



Selection of Plows. — Where shall ice find them? 



Having a fixed idea in the mind of what we wish to accomplish 

 with a plow, the query would arise, " Is there an implement mauu- 



