Deepening the Staple Soil. 555 



perhaps the most successful bit of spirited farming it has been 

 our h)t to have anything to do with, as the crop yielded over 31 

 tons of carrots the acre, which were sold to the GlasgoAV green- 

 grocers at an average of bl. per ton ; thus leaving a profit the 

 first season of more than double the fee-simple of the land. Half 

 the field was ploughed shallow and sown with oats, which 

 grew abundance of straw but no grain ; the other half was again 

 sown with carrots manured with soot, but the crop fell off to 

 20 tons, and the price to 755. a ton, reducing the return to half. 



This field was cropped with oats and carrots alternately until 

 we left for Ireland in 1832, and perhaps no piece of land ever 

 made so much money as this did in return for high manuring 

 and deep cuhivation, but of course the near market for the roots 

 was the available means of making those profits. The land 

 which lies in an unprofitable state of nature in the neighbour- 

 hood of large towns, growing a scanty produce of meadow hay, 

 which is frequently the case in England, sliows that in such situa- 

 tions capital and intelligence are attracted into other channels. 



The only hand cultivation we ever saw that had the recom- 

 mendation of economy on its side, as compared with the plough, 

 was in the spring of 1850, when we were called upon to offi- 

 ciate in adjudicating awards for digging with forks 12 inches 

 deep, which took place on Mr. Walter's farm near Greenhithe 

 in Kent, where the men, fifteen in number, each dug in one day 

 four square poles of strong clay and nine square poles of light 

 deep soil upon the chalk formation (but having several feet of 

 drift between it and the chalk) ; this they did in a most efficient 

 manner, while on the opposite side of the fence we saw four 

 splendid horses hauling an unwieldy turnwrest plough, going 

 7 inches deep, with one man holding and another driving. 

 From what we saw, as well as from information, an acre is in 

 that neighbourhood much more than a general day's work 

 throughout the season. 



Now, if we take fourteen men to dig an acre 12 inches deep, 

 findmg their own tools, ten could dig an acre 7 inches, which, 

 at '2s. a day, makes 1/. per acre. 



*. (/. 



Xow four horses so near the Great Metroi)olis must cost 2s. Qd. 



ii-day each for keep aud insurance, makuig 10 



One man 2 6 



Onelnd 1 3 



Tear and wear of harness 13 



i:. 



We think there are frw farmers who would not dig a con- 

 siderable part of their l.ind if they could get it done at these 



