THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



511 



obstruct all attempts to penetrate the subsoil, but 

 in cases also where that portion of soil which lies 

 underneath the cultivated part is of considerable 

 depth, and of such a nature as to fit it in an es- 

 pecial manner for being opened up, and rendered 

 available for the production of plants 



I am very well aware that a prejudice has in 

 many cases arisen against deep cultivation, from 

 the fact that its ado])tion under certain circum- 

 stances has proved detrimental rather than bene- 

 ficial. I remember havinif seen a field which had 

 been deeply trenched several years previous to its 

 coming under my notice, and which afforded a 

 strong proof of the erroneous application of a cor- 

 rect principle under unsuitable circumstances. 

 The field was represented to me as having been 

 moderately fertile previous to its being made the 

 subject of an experiment in deep cultivation ; but 

 when I saw it, its condition was wretched, ^'ery 

 important prehminary operations, however, had 

 been neglected. The field lay on a cold, wet clay 

 subsoil, and it had been trenched without being first 

 thorough-drained. That was the secret of the 

 failure ; but a powerful and very unfavourable 

 impression against deep cultivation had been left 

 on the minds of the occupying tenant, and of 

 others around him. 



Efficient draining must precede deep working of 

 the soil, and I would be sorry were any remarks of 

 mine, much as I value deej) culture, to foster the 

 idea that the latter operation could be substituted 

 for the former with any hope of success. There 

 are soils, no doubt, which do not require drainage, 

 and which will be greatly improved by the adoption 

 of deep cultivation ; but those are exceptional 

 cases, and of too rare occurrence to affect general 

 principles. 



The contradictory views which are practically 

 held by some regarding the utility of deep culti- 

 vation in farm practice appear to be somewhat 

 strange. Thus, it is allowed by many that trenching 

 is a very suitable and proper practice for a gardener 

 to pursue; but they cannot see the propriety of 

 extending the practice to the working of a farm. 

 They find no difficulty whatever in allowing that 

 deep cultivation is all very right and proper if we 

 are to grow cabbages or potatoes within the walls 

 of a garden ; but they shake their heads with the 

 most profound gravity when the extension of the 

 principle to the fields beyond the garden is mooted. 

 With them " sauce for the goose " is not always 

 "sauce for the gander." This is unreasonable, 

 however ; for both parties — agriculturists as well as 

 horticulturists — are engaged in carrying out pre- 

 cisely the same object, to wit, the production of 

 plants, and very often of precisely the sauie plants. 

 Whatever system of cultivation, therefore, is found 

 best suited for promoting the growth of plants in 

 one case cannot surely be unsuited for effecting the 

 same object in another. 



There are others, however, who will admit the 

 correctness of the principle of deep culture, but 

 who object to its extension to farm practice on the 

 score of expense. They say, we may afford to 

 trench our gardens, but we cannot afford to adopt 

 a similar course of operation in our fields. This is 

 bringing the question to a practical point; and 



although it is obviously impossible, within the 

 limits to which such a paper as this must necessarily 

 be confined, to enter into any lengthened statement 

 of comparative expense and results, the importance 

 of this point is such that it cannot be overlooked ; 

 and before I conclude I will, therefore, draw your 

 attention to certain details as exhibited in some 

 particular cases. 



It is necessary, however, that we proceed step by 

 step ; and I would, therefore, allude, first, to the 

 different modes by which deep cultivation may be 

 effected ; and next, to some of the effects produced 

 by deep culture. 



Deep cultivation is a comparative term, and what 

 is so in one case may be the reverse in another. 

 The common plough in ordinary ploughing does 

 not in most cases turn a furrow exceeding seven 

 inches in depth, and in many cases not above four 

 or five inches. Whatever may have been the depth 

 which has hitherto been the rule in any particular 

 instance, if we go deeper — even an inch or two — it 

 is, to a certain extent, an example of deep culture, 

 and as such will be found productive of certain 

 results. But this is still only comparative, and of 

 a shallow and superficial kind, compared with a 

 moving and mixing of the soil to the depth of 

 twelve, fifteen, eighteen, twenty, and even twenty- 

 four inches. It is frequently astonishing, however, 

 where circumstances are otherwise favourable, to 

 those who are ignorant of the stores of plant-food 

 which a little deeper ploughing renders available, 

 in cases where the surface soil had for many years 

 been only hghtly tilled, to witness the results of 

 breaking into and bringing up that really virgin 

 soil which is found in such cases under the thin 

 layers of exhausted surface soil. In fact, it appears 

 almost like magic, and not a little difficulty will 

 sometimes be experienced in convincing such people 

 as to what is the real cause of the increased fertility 

 which so much surprises them. 



Down to a very recent period the use of the spade 

 or fork was considered the most efficient mode of 

 deepening and mixing the soil, whenever it was 

 thought proper to go beyond that de])th which 

 could be effected by the plough. During the famine 

 years, and prior to that period, this mode of 

 deepening the soil was strongly insisted upon as 

 aftording remunerative employment for labourers 

 in our .rural districts. Since that period, however, 

 it has rather fallen into disuse, chiefly in conse- 

 quence, perhaps, of the scarcity of labourers, as 

 well as other reasons to which it is not at present 

 necessary to allude. At the time referred, to I had 

 considerable experience in this mode of improve- 

 ment, and am perfectly satisfied as to its beneficial 

 operation, when properly carried out. We may 

 stil, however, find cases where it is practised, and 

 in such the steel fork has generally superseded the 

 spade, the former being lighter, and altogether 

 better adapted for the purpose. Without entering 

 into particulars— which my limits will not permit 

 — I may be permitted, merely by way of illustration, 

 to say that Mr. Brady has, I believe, gradually 

 increased the depth of soil at Merino from seven 

 inches to at least eighteen or twenty inches, chiefly 

 by the use of the spade and fork. Mr. Niven also 

 uses the fork rather extensively in deep cultivtaion, 



