THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE, 



515 



on the after-fertility of the soil, without the aid of 

 even ordinary supplies of farm-yard or artificial 

 manures, 



Mr. Robert Bowles, of Clofihranhuddart, co. 

 Dublin, has not only used the Tweeddale ploufrh 

 extensively himself, but has been the means of in- 

 ducing others to procure it. He iises it regularly 

 in the ordinary cultivation of his farm, and con- 

 siders that, besides the additional depth of soil 

 which is gained, one ploughing by the Tweeddale 

 plough does more in preparing the land for green 

 crops than ordinary ploughing followed by a deep 

 grubbing. As an illustration of the results pro- 

 duced by deep cultivation as effected by the Tweed- 

 dale plough, in connection with Mr. Bowles' case, 

 I may mention that some five years ago he grew a 

 crop of wheat after lea in one of his fields. This 

 was succeeded in the following year by oats, the 

 produce of which did not amount to more than 10 

 barrels — 140 stones — per Irish acre. In conse- 

 quence of some rearrangement of his fields, it was 

 found necessary in the third year to crop part of 

 this field again with oats, but before doing so it 

 was ploughed 15 or 16 inches deep by means of 

 the Tweeddale plough, and the result waSj that the 

 produce was actually doubled, amounting to fully 

 20 barrels an acre. If the land had been ploughed 

 in the ordinary manner 5 or 6 inches deep, it is 

 doubtful if the second crop of oats, being the third 

 cereal crop in succession, would have reached 8 

 barrels an acre, so that the additional 12 barrels 

 were fairly attributable to the effects of the Tweed- 

 dale plough. 



I might also adduce Dr. Peart's experience of 

 the Tweeddale plough, as well as that of other par- 

 ties as illustrative of the effects of deep culture, but 

 I feel sure that further remarks are unnecessary. 



In conclusion, permit me to remind you that the 

 increased fertility derived from deep culture de- 

 mands a corresponding return of those mineral 

 matters which are abstracted by the produce, 

 whether it be grain, roots, or grass. It is true that 

 the results of deep cultivation apparently foster the 

 idea which some have put forward, to wit, that it 

 is a substitute for manure. This is not the case ; 

 it is an unlocking of the treasures contained in the 

 great storehouse of the soil ; but the supplies which 

 we draw from thence at one time must be replaced 

 at another, otherwise they will ultimately cease. 

 It would be foolish, however, to allow such a con- 

 sideration to operate against thorough tillage; and 

 I would close these remarks by reminding you of 

 the pithy saying of Poor Richard, otherwise Ben- 

 jamin Franklin — 



/'Plough deep, while sluggards sleep. 

 And you'll have corn to sell and to keep ;" 



or of the declaration drawn from a still higher 

 authority, " He that tilleth his land shall be satis- 

 fied with bread." 



Mr. Pringle laid on the table specimens of various 

 soils, viz., (1) From Blackball — subsoil trenched in 

 April, 1857, and since manured three times with 

 dung, and twice with coal ashes. (2) From do., 

 same description, burned once, and twice manured 

 in same period, (3) From do., same got frequent 

 tillage alone during the last three years. (4) From 



do., subsoil taken up April, 1S60. (5) From do., 

 subsoil taken up April, 1857. (6) Boulderstone 

 from subsoil of Blackball, (7) Garden soil from 

 Blackball, after several years' tillage and manuring. 

 (8) Fossil shells from soil of the Golden Vein. (9) 

 Soil from East Barnes, near Dunbar, East Lothian, 

 400 statute acres let for 2,000 per annum. 



At the conclusion of the paper, Mr, Pringle was 

 warmly applauded, 



Mr. BiiADY said he felt it due to Mr. Pringle to 

 bear his testimony to the merits of the very valua- 

 ble paper which he had read, and to the value of 

 deep cultivation of the soil. He had tried it re- 

 peatedly, and every year's experience proved to 

 him, and more firmly convinced him, that thorough 

 draining and deep cultivation of the soil were the 

 very foundations of high and successful farming. 

 With reference to the Tweeddale ploughing, he 

 observed that the cost was £2 13s, the statute acre, 

 and the cost of spade and fork work at Marino was 

 £8 to £8 10s. per Irish acre. Still, he should differ 

 with Mr, Stephens on his system of subsoiling, 

 inasmuch as he took a portion of the subsoil, and 

 put the active soil down, and he never saw any 

 plough that could take so even a breadth of furrow, 

 at 18 or 20 inches in depth, as the spade and fork. 

 The process of subsoihng with the fork or the 

 spade is carried on here as under : — A space of 20 

 inches or 2 feet in breadth, and the whole length 

 of the ground, is marked out with a line, and the 

 surface or active soil entirely removed therefrom, 

 and left at the other end of the ground, for the 

 purpose of filling up the last opening when the 

 work is being finished. The subsoil is then 

 deepened to any required depth, care being taken to 

 have the furrow or trench as loide in the bottom as 

 it is at the top. This being done, the active soil is 

 turned upside down on the broken subsoil, and so 

 on to the end. The fertility of ground thus treated, 

 independent of its greatly increased produce, can 

 be maintained, and its after-cultivation carried on 

 with much less expense than it ever could be in its 

 original state. 



Dr, Cameron said that before making a few 

 brief observation with reference to one or two 

 points touched upon in Mr, Pringle's jiaper, he 

 might be permitted to observe that the essay — for 

 he believed essay was the proper term to give the 

 paper which had been brought before the meeting 

 — was one of very considerable public importance 

 indeed; it smacked of that intensity of practice 

 which was so eminently characteristic of all Mr, 

 Pringle's writings (Hear, hear), Mr. Pringle had 

 very clearly shown that the pulverization of the 

 soil was absolutely necessary to its continued 

 fertility ; but he had just as clearly shown that the 

 most perfect mode of pulverization would not ob- 

 viate the necessity of manuring the land. It might 

 apparently do so for a long period, and more par- 

 ticularly so in the case of heavy lands, which were 

 frequently known to yield successive crops of the 

 most exhausting character for a considerable 

 period ; but as Mr, Pringle had clearly shown in 

 his paper, the time would come svhen soil so treated 

 — no matter how fertile it might be — would be re- 

 duced to absolute, and perhaps irrecoverable, 

 sterility. He did not think that abundant 



