IMPORTANT PRACTICAL CONCLUSIONS. 581 



CXLIX. IMPORTANT PRACTICAL CONCLUSIONS. 



The great points to which I think the attention of American 

 farmers, and of other farmers, should be called, I shall briefly 

 enumerate. 



1. THOROUGH DRAINING AND DEEP CULTIVATION. The first 

 of all improvements should be the thorough draining and deep 

 cultivation of the soil. The Deanston system of thorough drain 

 ing and subsoiling has effected immense benefits in England, and 

 promises to establish itself as one of the greatest single improve 

 ments ever made in husbandry. In Flanders, thorough draining, 

 as it is called, does not prevail ; but their surface-draining is most 

 carefully attended to, and trenching with the spade is even much 

 better, though in most cases more expensive, than subsoiling. 

 Indeed, their land, to the depth of two feet in the best cultivated 

 districts, is completely turned over, and thoroughly intermixed 

 once in the course of every six years. 



2. MANURES. The second great point, and that which 

 almost transcends all others in its claims upon the farmer s atten 

 tion, is the manufacture and increase of manure. It must be 

 acknowledged that the resources for this object within the reach 

 of most farmers are not half used, and means of creating and 

 accumulating manures are neglected or wasted, which waste, if 

 it could be represented by any pecuniary value, would astonish 

 us. On many an English farm there are resources for manure 

 neglected or lost, which would be much more than an equivalent 

 for the rent. Let me here revert to the immense value of liquid 

 manure, and the provision for and means of saving it, which I 

 have treated so much at large. 



3. SOILING OF CATTLE. The third point of great considera 

 tion is that of the soiling of cattle. There are vast tracts of 

 pasture land, to which the plough cannot be applied. Sheep 

 and young cattle may occupy these. But the farmer will find 

 an immense advantage in soiling his beef cattle and cows, and 

 oftentimes his sheep also. They will be fed at less expense ; 



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