136 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



I was very mucli incensed, and told him that his first day's work 

 had nearly ruined the field. The result was, I never had a 

 better crop than I had that year. 



We plough for two purposes. "We plough to save a great 

 deal of labor through the latter part of the year, in the first 

 place. When the land is not properly ploughed during the 

 early part of the year, of course there is a great amount of labor 

 to be expended upon it during the season, to get it properly 

 cultivated. There has been a great demand for improvement 

 in ploughs, in order that the ground may be properly ploughed. 

 I can recollect, that in ploughing green sward, with the old- 

 fashioned plough, we had a vast amount of labor to do after- 

 wards in order to cultivate the field, because it could not be 

 properly turned over. But with the modern improvements, we 

 can turn over our green sward in such a manner, that, so far as 

 my experience goes, that kind of land requires less cultivation 

 than any other. But one question that will arise in the minds 

 of individuals is, at what time in the year is it most beneficial 

 to plough the land. There is a diversity of opinion in regard 

 to this. I have heard individuals say that they would not have 

 land ploughed in the fall, for the reason, that when the ground 

 is not covered with snow, a great deal of the soil is blown off. 

 Now, I have found, in my experience, in the cultivation of 

 certain crops, that the fall is the best time to plough the ground, 

 especially if I put my manure on and plough it in ; and for this 

 reason : that if the manure is put on in the fall of the year, 

 and the ground ploughed, I can work it much earlier in the 

 spring. I think all will concede the fact, that the land, if it is 

 heavy, clayey soil, can be worked much earlier in the spring by 

 putting the manure on and ploughing it in in the fall. For 

 raising cabbages, turnips and such crops, I have for several 

 years adopted the plan of putting on the manure in the fall. I 

 do not care how soon it is put on, after the crop is taken off. 

 Spread it on and plough it in ; and so far as my experience 

 goes, I have got a better crop in that way than by allowing the 

 land to remain until spring, and then putting the manure on 

 and ploughing it in. 



So far as ploughing for a crop is concerned, when we turn 

 over green sward, for a crop, it is a question with many as to 

 which is the better time to plough, in the fall or in the spring. 



