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AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. 



practical farmers in Great Britain, where labor is about half, 

 and land and agricultural products are nearly twice the 

 average prices with us, that spade-husbandry can be adopted 

 for general tillage crops, with decided advantage to the 

 farmer. However this may be abroad, it is certain it cannot 

 be practised in this country, to any extent, until some very 

 remote period. 



There are many important advantages in the deep and 

 minute division of the soil, resulting from the very thorough 

 spading practised by the best gardeners, which we should 

 endeavor to incorporate in every tillage system, with the 

 use of the plow alone. This may be done, and the advan- 

 tages of spade-husbandry measurably secured, and at one 

 fourth the expense, by the use of the best surface and sub- 

 soil plows, if strong teams and skilful plowmen are employed 

 to work them. 



PLOWING-. 



This is the most important of the mechanical operations of 

 the farm. The time, the depth and the manner of plowing 

 must depend on the crops to be raised, the fertility and char- 

 acter of the soil, and other circumstances. 



FIG. 1. 



The above is a cut of the Eagle plow. This is a good 

 model of a two-horse plow ; being easy of draught to 

 the team, and turning a deep, wide furrow, with little effort to 

 the plowman. It is made with a cast-iron mold-board, share 

 and land-side, all in detached parts, which are easily re- 

 placed when worn. It has the dial-clevis at the end of the 

 beam, which is an important improvement for controlling 

 the direction of the plow and regulating its depth. Also 

 the draft-rod, which is guided by the clevis, and attached 

 to the beam near the handles. The wheel lessens the 



