THE PLAIN "ENGLISH" OF IT. 213 



revolution) and the state of the soil. This last in- 

 cident is as it should be ; for it is not desirable that 

 a clay soil should be dealt with when in an improper 

 state for tillage; and one great advantage of such 

 an instrument as I point to would be that it would 

 so immensely enlarge the choice of a suitable period, 

 by its compendious accomplishment of the whole 

 work of culture. 



"My object, however, is not so much to advocate 

 the particular mode of applying Steam-power which 

 I myself suggest, as to explain the grounds on which 

 I feel more and more strongly assured that the at- 

 tempt to employ it through the medium of the plow 

 must be eventually renounced." 



"There's one thing," said Mr. Greening, who had 

 been listening throughout with unusual attention 

 and perseverance, and nodding knowingly a-t the 

 end of each sentence as if the idea was steadily 

 gaining ground in his mind, "There's one thing 

 that you haven't mentioned, and on your own side 

 of the matter, too. The finer the soil's worked 

 down, the greater the effect of the manure : of that 

 I'm certain sure ; large as I like to see the clods on 

 a fallow." 



"I was afraid you would have taken the other side 

 of the question on that point," said I, "on which 



