AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. 31 



not often so deep. But there are benefits to be gained from deep 

 ploughing when judiciously done. The eflect of rain falling upon 

 and passing through the soil is to wash down to too great a depth 

 to be reached by the roots of plants those soluble substances 

 which are their food. Not only the mineral parts of the soil, but 

 the manures which are applied, are washed out and oftentimes ac- 

 cumulated in the subsoil in large quantities. These, if turned up 

 and mixed with the soil, would add greatly to its fertility. The 

 mere loosening the earth to the depth of ten or twelve inches 

 will be very useful by allowing a greater extent of the roots of 

 plants. At the same time, caution is necessary lest the subsoil 

 contain substances which may be injurious to vegetation. In such 

 cases the use of the subsoil plough should precede deep plough- 

 ing, to allow free access of the air to assist in the chemical changes 

 necessary, and also to partially drain the soil by affording a free 

 exit to superfluous moisture. This latter process has never yet 

 been very extensively introduced into this country, and it is our 

 belief that our ag-riculture has suffered much from the want of it. 

 The surface soil has been tilled over and over, while the process 

 of deterioration has been going on in the older sections, till its 

 productiveness seemed almost lost. Deepening the soil would 

 unquestionably vastly add to its powers, if it does not in a great 

 measure restore them. 



But these processes are far too little appreciated in this coun- 

 try. Indeed, the difference between them is not known by many, 

 and when subsoil ploughing is spoken of, they suppose that it im- 

 plies bringing the subsoil to the surface. But this is by no means 

 the case, the process only consisting in tearing up the subsoil in 

 the furrow which another plough has made, and leaving it to re- 

 main in this broken state below the next furrow turned upon it. 

 The value which is attached to this in this country may be in- 

 ferred from the fact that among all the numerous implements ex- 

 hibited at the late fair of the New-York State Agricultural Socie- 

 ty, and also at that of the American Institute, in the city of New- 

 York, in October last, we searched in vain for a subsoil plough, 

 although we heard numerous inquiries for them by persons wishing 

 to see what they are. Wherever they have been used, although 

 attended with extra cost, this has been more than repaid in im- 

 mense produce. But this is not the only gain. The additional 



