GENERAL RULES FOR PLOUGHING. 431 



so by leaving a part of the ground unturned, which the furrow- 

 slice is made to cover. Where, as in old ploughed land, the 

 object is solely to leave the ground loose and light, it is advisa 

 ble to take a very narrow furrow. Where, otherwise, the object 

 is to move greensward or stubble ground, and tG cover in the 

 vegetable matter, such a width of furrow must be taken as will 

 cause the slice, as it is raised by the share, to turn over easily. 

 This width may generally be reckoned at nearly twice the 

 depth, though less will answer j but a furrow-slice of equal sides 

 would not turn, but stand on end. The manner in which the 

 furrow-slice will be turned depends somewhat upon the form of 

 the mould-board, but more, in general, upon the skill of the 

 ploughman. Two modes are adopted : the one to lay the fur 

 row-slice entirely flat, shutting its edge exactly in by the edge of 

 its neighbor ; the other, to lay it at an inclination of 45 degrees, 

 lapping the one upon the other. The former mode, where land 

 is to be sown with grass-seed, and, as the phrase is with us, laid 

 down, is, undoubtedly, to be preferred. Perhaps, in any case 

 where a grain crop is to be cultivated, it should be preferred, 

 as its beneficial effects have been well tested in the United 

 States. In the United States, however, from a higher temper 

 ature, the vegetable matter thus pressed down may be expected 

 sooner to be decomposed, and thus sooner furnish a pabulum for 

 the growing plants, than in a climate where, in a much lower 

 and more even temperature, the decomposition cannot be ex 

 pected to take place so rapidly. In other cases, and for vege 

 table crops, I mean in contradistinction to grain crops. a 

 different mode of ploughing, that is, laying the furrow-slices one 

 upon the other at an angle of 45 degrees, or half turned over, 

 would leave the ground more loose, as well as expose a larger 

 surface of the inverted soil to be enriched by the air. In this 

 way, by harrowing and rolling, the vegetable matter will be 

 completely buried. This mode of ploughing is evidently pre 

 ferred throughout the country, as I have seldom seen the sward 

 completely inverted and laid flat, though I know the practice 

 prevails in some counties. To avoid having any of the grass 

 protrude itself between the furrow-slices, they have here, what 

 I have never seen in the United States, a skim-colter, that is, 

 a miniature ploughshare, or blade, placed under the beam, and 



