SUBSOIL PLOUGHING. 63 



SUBSOIL PLOUGHING. 



HAMPSHIRE, FRANKLIN AND HAMPDEN. 



Statement of George Dickinson. 



I have used the subsoil plough for an acre or two a number 

 of times ; but until this season I have never taken pains, by 

 measuring the land and the products, to ascertain accurately 

 whether there was a decided benefit in using it. 



Lot No. 1 was a part of my home lot, planted to Indian 

 corn. The first plough was run about nine inches deep, and 

 the subsoil about five inches. As this was near my house, I 

 examined it carefully all through the season, but could per- 

 ceive no difference between this and other parts of the field. 

 In harvesting I could not very well keep this separate, and did 

 not measure it by itself. 



Lot No. 2 was part of a meadow lot planted to Indian corn. 

 This lot is about one hundred rods long and twenty-four rows 

 wide. Eight rows were su.bsoiled, and otherwise all were treated 

 alike. At harvesting, each eight rows were stacked by them- 

 selves and measured separately, and the product was as fol- 

 lows : — 



The east row gave ..... 51 1^ bushels. 

 Middle row gave 48-|i " 



West row, subsoiled, gave .... ^TH " 



'56 

 ■3 8 



This part of the lot has not been considered so good as the 

 remainder, so that, if there is no mistake in measuring the corn, 

 there was a decided benefit resulting from the use of the sub- 

 soil plough. 



Lot No. 3, containing two acres, was planted to broom corn ; 

 the west side was subsoiled, otherwise both sides were treated 

 very nearly alike. 



The yield on this half was 723 lbs. ; the yield on the other 

 half was 781 lbs. But here I am somewhat thwarted in mak- 

 ing a fair experiment. The last lot was housed m good order, 

 while the other half was out in a storm, which would diminish 

 the weiglit very much. It is my opinion that the crop was not 

 benefited by the subsoiling. 



