3. Str tightness of Ridge. 



It is extremely material to have the ridge as straight 

 as possible. It is calculated that ridges, when much 

 crooked, measure one- fourth more in the serpentine 

 direction, than when taken in a straight line *, and con- 

 sequently they must take one-fourth more labour in 

 ploughing, harrowing, &c. than if they had been per- 

 fectly straight. Most of the ridges in the more culti- 

 vated parts of Scotland, were formerly very broad, 

 much raised, and greatly curved. Levelling high and 

 crooked ridges, in very stiff wet clays, is a very difficult 

 operation, and unless executed with considerable skill 

 and judgment, productive of loss. The risk attending 

 such an alteration, induced a spirited practical farmer, 

 (Mr James Andrew of Tillylumb, near Perth), to try 



nip soils he remarks, that ridges twelve paces wide are the 

 most proper. A ridge of this width can be ploughed much 

 sooner than two ridges six paces wide. A ridge twenty- 

 four paces wide cannot be ploughed so soon by an hour as 

 two ridges twelve paces wide. The cause is evident ; in the 

 narrow ridge above-mentioned much loss of time is ex peri- 

 enced at the end of the field, in turning the horses about 

 nearly to the same place from whence the plough left its 

 work. In the larger one, much loss of time is also experi- 

 enced at each end of the field, from the plough having to 

 move so many yards out of its work before it arrives at its 

 proper situation for re-entering again the land. Whilst 

 little or no loss of time is experienced in the plough and 

 horses swinging about to enter their work again, in a ridge 

 twelve paces wide. In sowing ;broad-cast, six paces wide, 

 being the usual breadth, a seedsman covers at a cast : the 

 top of the ridge and the furrow are the leading marks which 

 directs him to deposit his seed. 



* Remark by Mr Charles Alexander of Easterhaprew, 

 near Peebles. 



