THE FARMERS' REGISTER. 



465 



-would execute the work with the least possible 

 power. I made my plough strong, and of ihcU 

 Ibrm 10 which the least resistance would be op- 

 posed, at the same time taiiing care lo have 

 Bufficient power fairly to stir up ihe soil. 



! will here explain the principle of the subsoil 

 plough. The great principle is, that ihere are 

 many subsoils, which, though capable of being 

 converted into a good soil, yet if brought up and 

 mixed wi(h the aciive soil, will so far deierioraie 

 It as to make it. for some time sterile. The great 

 point is to stir up the subsoil, still retaining ihe 

 good soil on the surface. Stirring up the subsoil 

 would, in the first place, very much facilitate the 

 escape ofthe water into the drains ; and in conse- 

 quence of ihe passage ol the water through tlie 

 stirred up subsoil, and the attendant admission of 

 air, it would be so acted upon as to be converted 

 into good soil, and at the sam« time have all 

 the advantages of working the active soil as 

 before. 



Upon the application of this principle, I have 

 been successful in every instance. The process 

 of applying the subsoil plough is this : a common 

 plough goes along first, and removes a furrow of 

 the active soil. Alter that the subsoil plough 

 passes along below, and scarifies the subsoil to 

 the depth of Irom twelve to sixteen inches, in 

 some instances eighteen inches. This is con- 

 tinued furrow after furrow, the plough going first 

 to lay the active soil on the part already opened 

 up ; then the plough comes a second time and 

 takes off' a furrow li-om another part of the sod, 

 and places it on-that which is already scarified. 



As to the proper period lor applying the subsoil 

 plough in places where the drains have much 

 effect, the subsoil plough may be applied the Ibl- 

 lowing year; but in clay soil it is important to 

 give the clay sufficient time to dry, and to have ii 

 in a friable state ; because, in the application of 

 the subsoil plough, when clay subsoil has been 

 recently drained, and it is not sutficientiy dry, 

 more harm is done than good ; the clay being 

 worked in a wet state is almost prepared lor 

 making bricks. If we once work ii in that si ate 

 it is a long period before it recovers its friable 

 property again. Therefore, in soils rather live, 

 the subsoil plough may be used the second year 

 after the drainage. 



The proper time to execute drains is the 

 summer season ; you can then gel it much more 

 tidily done, and the drains are prevented fiom 

 running. In many places there are little siiidy 

 veins and portions of running sand, which arc 

 very apt lo fall in be'ore the drains are covered 

 up. In the winter season this is aliDost sure to 

 be so ; you may be taken wilh frost, which 

 draws off' the adhesion ofthe earth, so that it' 

 falls down, and fills up the drain. It is best to 

 execute them in grass land before it is broken up 

 for cropping, otherwise it is too soft. Executing 

 it therelbre in the summer season on the lee pro- 

 duces very little lose, because the growth of the 

 grass in the after part of the season will be eo 

 much increased by the execution ofthe drains, 

 that you will tie repaid lor the lime lost for the use 

 ofthe pasture during the time the drains were 

 in process of execution. After the drains have 

 been completed, take a crop from the land, and if 

 the land has been pretty good, it will perliajjs 

 aff'ord two crops : at all events, one crop should 

 Vol. X.-59 



be taken : that will pass over one summer before 

 the subsoil is to be ploughed. During this season, 

 the earh between the two surlijces has time to 

 dry ; it is more fi'iable, and the subsoil plough 

 w^ill be more efficacious in stirring it up. It ollen 

 happens that there are stories in the soil, which 

 must be removed belore you can proceed wilh 

 good husbandry ; and it will be found that in 

 consequence of the contraction of the soil, they 

 have become in some degree loose, and will be 

 turned out very easily by the subsoil plough. In 

 many instances we have stones exceeding 200 

 lbs. weight, which are turned out very easily by 

 the subsoil plough with- four horses. 



With regard to the direction in which the sub- 

 soiling ought to be carried, I should say at right 

 angles with the drains; you thereby form chan- 

 nels from the centre lo the side, in all directions. 

 In that manner you form artificial channels from 

 the centre of the ridge into the drain ; tliese may 

 partially close up, still there is an openness given 

 to thesut'soil, which will permii ihe water to pass 

 freely. ■ 



Having thus applied ihe subsoil plough to stir 

 up the subsoil, the after cultivation may be the 

 common rotation of the country, euch as the 

 farmer thinks suitable. When agriculiurists have 

 subsoiled their land, thny should fry down the 

 tend flat on the surface, without any ridges or 

 furrows. Nothing is more irijurious to land than 

 ridging it up. In the old modes of draining, it 

 was quite necessary to have ridges and fijrrovvs ; 

 but now, when land is thoroughly drained there 

 is no occasion for it, and it is hurtful ; because 

 when water liil's on a rounding off' suifiice, it 

 immediaieiy begins to sink away to the lower 

 level, and the water which has fallen on the tops 

 and middle parts of the ridijes is added to the water 

 on the side, which has thus to bear a great deal 

 more than its own pro[)oriion 61' water; the water 

 carries portions ofthe soil alonir wiih it, and the 

 cracks are constantly fi ling up by the running of 

 the sand from the higher part of the ridge to the 

 lower part. When a field is laid down with 

 ridges and furrows, especially on stiflT land, a 

 great part of the best of the land runs down into 

 those llirrows, and is deposited in lart^e quantities 

 at the bottom of the ridge, thereby doing a mate- 

 rial miscliiel^ II laid in a flat form you get rid of 

 this evil, and obtain this advantage — that if the 

 water is beneficial lo the soil, which ii certainly ie, 

 you have that benefit equally distributed ; every 

 part receive-' its own water, and the benefit which 

 the water can give. 



It is the sucgestion of scientific gentlemen that 

 the rain in falling fi-om ihe atmosfihere absorbs a 

 considerahie quantity ofammoiriia; and if there 

 is any afHniiy in the soil (or ammonia, if the soil 

 wanls ammonia, the alFmity will extract the am- 

 monia from the water, the amnronia remaining 

 in the soil for Ihe nourishment of plants. Where 

 artificial manure is put into the soil, some of the 

 fibrous parts of if will be carried away wilh the 

 water, ami be carried down to the region to which 

 it belongs ; and although not so near the surface 

 as it was before, it is near enough lor the plants to 

 reach it : when they put down their roots. 



A peculiar change takes place in any subsoil — 

 it does not mailer what composed of alter it is 

 ploughed. This change begins lo lake place im- 

 mediately,, and the soil gradually goes (rem ihe 



