PLOUGHING ANl) HARROWING. 53 



much crowded and retarded in their growth, are rendered 

 thereby less productive ; while the space occupied by the hard 

 unbroken clods is rendered less conducive to the success of the 

 crop. The savings made by a proper use of the plough and 

 the harrow, and the roller too, when necessary, are no incon- 

 siderable items in the aggregate profits of the farmer; if there 

 is a little negligence and unskilful management in every part 

 of the tillage process, it cannot be expected that the soil will 

 yield an adequate compensation for the labors thus bestowed. 

 It was probably the importance of a perfect pulverization of the 

 soil, that might have led to the invention of the roller, which 

 ie often necessary to effect that operation, especially in very 

 clayey or stiff soils. But on ordinary loose soils, the proper use 

 of the plough and the harrow may effect the object. By a. 

 proper knowledge of the food of vegetables, and the manner in 

 which it is communicated to the plant, the farmer will derive 

 additional evidence of the necessity of tlic entire separation of 

 the particles which compose the soil, by the tillage process j 

 whence it will appear that no proper nourishment of the plant 

 which may be contained in unbroken clumps or clods of the 

 soil, can contribute to its growth until they become pulverized.* 



The want of sufficient animal strength to plough the ground 

 of a suitable depth for the effectual pulverization of the soil, 

 may be considered an insuperable objection to many well in- 

 formed farmers. To remove this objection and introduce aa 

 improvement in the economy of teams generally, a celebrated 

 agriculturalistjf suggested the following practice, the efficacy 

 of which he has attested by actual experiment. To first plough 

 the ground only half the depth required ; that the resistance of 

 the soil may by that means be overcome by the application of 

 one half of the animal strength ; and by repeating the opera- 

 tion the same depth of ploughing will be attained by only one 

 half of the animal exertion, which wonldbe required, to plough 

 the same depth with double the exertion at one operation, the 

 resistance of the loose soil occasioned by the first furrow, be- 

 ing too small to be taken into the computation. 



It may be worthy of consideration, whether even those who 

 have the command of sufficient strength of team for any pur- 

 poses of tillage, may nol pulverise some soils more effectually 

 and more economicaUy, by taking two or more furrows instead 



* See essay on food of veg^etables and the mafiner in which it ia 

 communicated to the plant. 



t Major General Alexander Bealson, honorary mettbcF of the 

 Engliaij board of Agriculture* 



