26 



have been very ably stated by Lord Kames, in his 

 Gentleman Fanner, (Chap. 4. Sect. 3.) It is only ne- 

 cessary, therefore, in this place, to explain those more 

 minute particulars, which have not hitherto been dwelt 

 upon, and which, without the assistance of a number of 

 practical farmers, it would not have been in my power 

 sufficiently to have elucidated. 



On very dry soils, ridges are of use merely as lines 

 for marking out the operations of the plough, and the 

 sowing and reaping ; the nature of the soil, which is apt 

 to suflcr by want of moisture, rendering any sort of 

 draining which the furrows might afford, prejudicial ra- 

 ther than advantageous. Indeed, where grain is sown 

 by drill-machines, ridges are not required even for sow- 

 ing, as the drill itself, or a marker attached to it, regu- 

 lates the operation. But ridges are essential in wet soils, 

 operating as open drains, without the assistance of 

 which, the crops would rarely be productive in rainy 

 seasons. It is of infinite importance, therefore, to the 

 farmer, to be fully master of the rules by which ridges 

 can be formed to the best advantage. This subject may 

 be considered under the following heads : i. The pro- 

 per length of ridges ; 2. Their breadth ; 3. Their 

 straightness, and the best mode of altering the shape of 

 crooked ridges ; 4. Their heighth ; and, 5. The ad- 

 vantage of ridging diagonally where the ground is steep, 



I. The proper' Length of Ridges. 



The length of a ridge must vary, according to the 

 size of the inclosures, the acclivity of the ground, and 

 the nature of the soil, whether wet or dry. 



On fields which have much acclivity, a long ridge is 

 hurtful, not only as tending to fatigue the horses, and to 

 overstrain them in their wind, but also because, after the 



