760 



Journal of Agriculture . 



[10 Dec., 1910. 



are fully described in Trenching and Suhsoiling for American Vines. It 

 is to be regretted that this type of machine has not yet found its way 

 to Australia, since it presents several valuable features. The system is 

 extremely simple, the main principle being the multiplication of the horse- 

 power the grower has at his disposal. As in all similar cases, the gain 

 in power is accompanied by a corresponding loss in speed. In France, 

 a small grower who has trenching to do hires a plant and does the work 

 with his own horses in a slack season. In this way it costs him consider- 

 ably less than if he engaged a contractor with an elaborate steam plant. 



I'he slow pace at which the 

 plough moves is a distinct 

 advantage in soils containing 

 stumps or stones, since the 

 horses can be stopped when 

 an obstacle is encountered 

 without danger of break- 

 ages. 



On page 759 is an actual 

 photograph of one of these 

 plants manufactured by Pelous 

 Freres, of Toulouse, at work. 

 In this case three horses and 

 wo men were able to do 

 I hectare {z\ acres) in twelve 

 clays of eight hours each. 

 The work was being very well 

 done to a depth of igi 

 inches. The land, an old 

 lucerne patch, was exceedingly 

 stiff and compact ; as hard, 

 in fact, as any I have seen 

 in the Rutherglen district. 

 It was then perfectly dry, the date being 2nd August (2nd February in 

 Australia). As .soon as the plough was wound up to the horseworks, one 

 horse was employed to haul it back to the other end of the row, a special 

 arrangement permitting of its being rapidly lifted out of the ground. 

 The diagram reproduced from Guyot's catalogue gives an idea of the 

 arrangement of gin, anchors, and plough. 



Trenching or Subsoiling. 



In France, in the majority of cases land is trenched, the subsoil being 

 brought to the surface. The ground is actually ploughed to the full 

 depth to which it is worked. The plough shown in Fig. 5, the same 

 which is shown on a smaller scale in Fig. 4, is the type generally used. 



French preference for trenching is in marked contrast to Victorian ex- 

 perience, which has proved subsoiling* to be more suitable in nearly all 

 our soils. This difference is probably largely due to the fact that the 

 geological formations in the two countries are so widely different. It 

 must also be remembered that most of the vineyard lands of France have 

 been under cultivation at one time or another for many centuries past. 



* Subsoilinj,'- should scarcely iieerl rlefining here. By this term is understood the stirring of soil and 

 subsoil to the desired depth, but without altering the natural position of the different layers. Usually, 

 the sur'ace is plouu'hed with an ordinary plough, the subsoil being worked by a .special implement, which 

 stirs it without bringing it to the surface. The two implements may be separate or they may be combined 

 in what is then a subsoil plough. There are several types on the market. 



FRONT VIEW OF FRENCH PLOUGH SHOWN 

 ON PREVIOUS PAGE. 



