22 AMERICAN HOME GARDEN. 



to fifteen inches deep. What is called " cut and cover" plow- 

 ing must be carefully avoided. The furrow- slice should be 

 narrow, not much exceeding two thirds the width from the fore 

 end of the land-side to the outer corner of the share. It should 

 not be laid over quite flat, but at an angle of about forty-five 

 degrees, which, for the benefit of very young readers I remark, 

 is represented by each pair of lines radiating from the centre 

 of this star ^-. No care need be taken in plowing to fill any 

 irregular holes that may happen to remain, nor effort of any 

 kind made to help the plow perform its work, unless it be to 

 foot over an obstinate tussock or sod. Smoothness is not an 

 excellence in plowing. The land so plowed should be left for 

 a time in its rough state, open to the influence of the sun and 

 air ; when, after thorough harrowing, it may be re-plowed or 

 dug, as may be found suitable for the particular crop. 



HARROWING. 



Harrowing should be done after the land has lain plowed a 

 week or more, as it may require, and, if practicable, when the 

 surface soil is not dusty, but only moderately dry and perfectly 

 friable. The " trituration" and reduction of the soil by the 

 harrow will be more perfect when in this state than if quite 

 dry ; and if it should be wet, the harrowing must not be done 

 except under a pressing necessity. 



The first stroke of the harrow should always be " with," or 

 in the same direction as the furrow ; the subsequent strokes 

 crossing it and each other at right angles, or obliquely, until 

 the work is satisfactorily done. 



RIDGING. 



Ridging is performed with the common plow by throwing 

 two furrows, together, which thus meet upon and overlap a 

 space about as wide as each of them ; or with the spade, by 

 digging the two furrows, and laying the earth up in ridge form 

 upon the intervening space. In very light soils, which, how- 

 ever, should never be ridged for winter, or in the preparation 

 of plowed land for crop ridging, the work is sometimes done by 

 the use of a large and pretty strong double-mould plow, which 

 seems to save half the labor, but seldom does its work well. 



