i860. On the Proper Mode of Ridguig a TFtiClny Soil. 283 



caiting the ridges : but before the ploughman begins, I make 

 him go two bouts, throwing in the earth into the furrow' 

 that is to be ploughed out betwixt the ridges when they 

 are finiflied ; this keeps the ridges equally round, and all the 

 furrows in the field nearly of an equal depth : gather after 

 the beans before Winter j in the Spring, caft the ridges for 

 barley, throwing in the open furrows as before ; or, if necef- 

 fary to give two furrows in the Spring, call them twice, as, I 

 think, cleaving ridges for barley ought to be avoided upon a 

 wet foil, if poflible ; for the open furrow in the crown, even 

 when laid clofe with a gathering, tends to lodge water there, 

 for the reafons above affigned. I have alfo obferved, that 

 when a field of clay foil is ploughed acrofs the ridges, after 

 they have been cloven and harrowed, the foil on the fides of 

 the open furrow on the crown, turns up in a more cohefive 

 ftate than the refl of the ridge : this is owing to the plough's 

 not going fo deep, contiguous to the open furrow, whenever 

 it lofcs refiflance, on the land fide, to keep it in the ground. 

 By this mode, of always gathering the ridges before Winter, 

 and cafting them in the Spring, the foiid earth under the cul- 

 tivated foil is continually kept in the fame rounded form with 

 the furface of the ridge, to which the floods of rain, finking, 

 run off expeditioufly to the open furrows betwixt the ridges ; 

 and thefe being deep, and cleared of obftructions, from the 

 ridges being gatliered before Winter, convey it with rapidity 

 off the field, in proportion to the number of apen furrows in 

 it. I have therefore aKvays found a well rounded twelve-feet 

 ridge to be drier, and work better in the Spring, than a fif- 

 teen-feet ridge ; and even a ten-feet, than one of twelve. But 

 tl^ere are inconveniences that attend a very narrow ridge, 

 which are not counterbalanced by its fuperior drynefs : I 

 therefore would not recommend them to be formed under 

 twelve feet. If they are to be kept in tillage, four harrows, 

 or two breaks, cover them ; and I Jiave not found that they 

 are attended with v/alte of feed, as I never exceed three firlots 

 of wheat or barley, and a boll of oats per acre, the quantity 

 I fowed on fifjeeir-feet ridges. I have now finilhed my obfer- 

 vations on the proper mode of forming ridges on a wet clay 

 foil ; if you think them woith the notice of the public, you 

 may infert them in your Magazine. But as a number ci your 

 readers will no doubt favour broad ridges, I fhall be glad to 

 hear what they haA-e to advance in their defence 5 for it is on- 

 ly from a free difculficn of fentlments, through the medium 



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