98 PLAIN AND PLEASANT TALK 



experiment, and we have done it time and again, let two 

 patches in a garden be treated in all respects alike, except 

 in this let one be hoed or raked every two or three days 

 and the other not at all, or but once in the season. 



The result will satisfy any man better than a paper argu 

 ment. Indeed, we have found it impossible (in a garden) 

 to perfect some vegetables without constantly stirring the 

 soil. 



While these advantages are gained, it is not to be for 

 gotten that, in dry seasons^ a thorough pulverization of the 

 surface, will prevent the evaporation of the moisture in the 

 earth and prevent deleterious effects of the drought. 



SUBSOIL PLOWING. 



ONE of the great improvements of the age is the adoption 

 in husbandry of the subsoil plow; or, as it is called in Eng 

 land, Deanstonizing system, from Mr. Smith, of Dean- 

 stone, who first brought the implement into general notice. 

 They are designed to follow in the furrow of a coinmon 

 plow, and pulverize without bringing up the soil for eight or 

 ten inches deeper. In ordinary soils two yoke of oxen will 

 work it with ease, plowing from an acre to an acre and a 

 quarter a day. 



The use of this plow will renovate old bottom-lands, the 

 surface of which has been exhausted by shallow plowing 

 and continual cropping. It brings up from below fresh 

 material, which the atmosphere speedily prepares for crops. 



Old fields, a long time in grass, are very much benefited. 



Constant plowing at about the same depth will often 

 form a hard under-floor by the action of the plow, through 

 which neither roots nor rain can well penetrate ; subsoiling 

 will relieve a field thus conditioned. 



Soils lying upon clay or hard compact gravel are opened 



