VOL. xvr. XO. 48. 



AND GARDENER'S JOURNAL 



379 



Canals is only to be iMeasuicd hy n n.ition's vvauts. 

 Tlio mines of coal are, and must l>e, a vast reve- 

 nue to ilie State, ami a source of wealth and com- 

 fort to millions yet unborn. 



Sliould tlie state adopt a bold and liberal policy 

 extend the Canals into the Oliio river by locks, so 

 as to save resbipinent, and to u|)en a free coniinu- 

 nication vvitli our coal fields, so ibat it may be 

 ' sBippod to the Sontnern and Western market mil- 

 lions will be added to tbe value of our public 

 vvoilts, which they will not have should there be 

 obstructions in the transit from the Canals to tlie 

 Ohio river. 



. In England the stock of their Canals runniiit; 

 thruii;ib coal fields, sells from 500 to 1000 |<er 

 cent, higher than that of tliose running through 

 sections of the kingdom solely agricultural. — 

 Evansvilk Journal. 



SMITH'S SUBSOIL PLOUGH. 



1 have prefixeil to this Report two engravings 

 of modern impKunents, which in England are 

 deemed of immense value ; and which bid fair, if 

 adojited, to be of great importance in our hus- 

 bandry ; they are Smith's Subsoil I'longh, and tbe 

 Rack Heath Plough ;* both intended for the same 

 object. The original engravings are imperfect ; 

 hut they will at least give a clear idea to our in- 

 genious mechanics of an implement that is much 

 wanted among us, and I hope, lead to its early 

 invention. An im|)lement is wanted by whii'li 

 the cold gravelly subsoil often found in our lands, 

 our wet lands especially, may be effectually stirred 

 and loosened and rendered permeable to air and 

 water, without at thesame time, bringing it to the 

 surface, where it must require a lengtli of time 

 and a most copious sup;iiy of manure to render it 

 productive; and also without burying the loam 

 and richer parts of the soil imder the suf)Soil as is 

 necessarily done in such cases by deep ploughing 

 with a common plough. We want to keep the 

 richer parts of the soil, that is the moidd, on the 

 surface ; where the plants can derive all the ad- 

 vantages possible from it, and where too, the ma- 

 nure applied to it will be tnost efficacious. At 

 the same time it is important to loosen the sub- 

 soil, so that the water may pass off; and the roots 

 of the pbint, if so disposed, may spread themselvRs 

 .into it ; and likewise that we may be gradually 

 but constantly deepening the upper soil. I have 

 myself seen so much tbe importance of doing 

 this that I am peisuaded this invention must be 

 duly appreciated by the farmers. Its great utility 

 likew<isc in draining many kinds of land will be 

 at once apparent. In many instances it will com- 

 pletely obviate the necessity of open or covered 

 ditches. Its utility too in clay soils, but espeo- 

 ially in many of our wet meadows, where the 

 tipper surface is thin and resting upon a hard pan, 

 cannot admit of a question. It is of course de- 

 signed to tollow in the furrow of a common 

 plough. The trenching of ground in considerable 

 tracts in other countries, and in gardens in our 

 own has been followed by the best effects. Here 

 the soil is dug thoroughly to the depth of two or 

 threB feet ; and at the same time it is so managed, 

 that the substratum is completely loosened and 

 turned over, and the rich vegetable mould is re- 

 turned again to the top, where it was at the com- 

 mencement of the operation. These plough are 



'The representation of tliis Plough will appear in our 

 neit. 



adapted to operate in the s;ime way as (his trench- 

 ing by llie spade. The increase of crops in grounds 

 thus njanaged has liL'en always an ample compen- 

 sation tor the labor. The loosejung of the earth 

 and the consequent removal o( the «aier and ad- 

 mission of the air, li;'sides afTording room tor the 

 e.vpansion of the roots, without doidit by a chemi- 

 cal action, assists the nourishment ami growth of 

 the plant. The l real objection to det p ploughing' 

 has always been, that the cold gravelly pan was 

 brought to the surface ; the vegetable mould 

 bmitd beneath it; and, thai it required a great 

 length of lime and an extravagant amount (jf iini- 

 irtire, to brirjg the land into a healthy and fruitful 

 condiiiun. These models are copied from a late 

 nundier (if the ISritisb Farmer's .Magazine; and [ 

 subjoin the accounts which are therein given of 

 them. 



"The most astonishing effects appear to have 

 been produced by a new agricultural implement, 

 the invention of Mr Smith of Deanster near Ster- 

 ling in Sviotland, called the Subsoil Plough. This 

 machine is a necessary accompaniinent to drain- 

 ing ; but when that is done efl'ectively, it seems 

 calculated to render the most sterile and nnpro- 



duclive soil fertile and profitable. There is no 

 difficulty more fatal to the )nactical farmer than 

 that of cultivating a thin shallow soil with a stiff 

 retentive subsoil. Whatever pains may be taken 

 with the tillage of the former, however expensive 

 the dressing which may be used in its ciillivation, 

 the nature of the subsoil will always counteract 

 its beneficial effects. Many persons have emleav- 

 ored by trenching to obviate this ditticulty, but 

 where the sufSsoil is of that sterile nature, and re- 

 (juii-es e.xpcsure to the atmosphere for so long a 

 period to make it produce, few farmers have been 

 I'oun.l bold enough to repeat the experiment. Mr 

 Smith's ingenious invention, by breaking the sub- 

 soil without bringing it to the surface, renders it 

 pervious both to air and water. The same chem- 

 ical changes, vvliich take place in a fallow, owing 

 to its exposure to the action of wind and rain are 

 thus brought into operation in the subsoil ; whilst 

 the n|iper is in the ordinary course of cropping, 

 and when, after a few years by a greater depth of 

 ploughing, the subsoil is mixed with the upper, It 

 is found to be so completely changed in its nature 

 as to be capable of producing every species of 

 grain. The experiment has been tried for twelve 

 years, and with uniform success." 



CHEESE FROM POTATOES. 



Cfieese, it is said, of extremely fine quality, is 

 made from potatoes, in Thuringia and part of Sax- 

 ony, in the following manner : — After having col- 

 lected a quantity of potatoes of good quality, giv- 

 ing the prefeience to the large white kind, they 

 are boiled in a cauldron, and after becoming cool, 

 they are pulled and reduced to a pulp either by 

 means of a grate or mortar. To five pounds of 

 this pulp, which ought to be as equal as possible, 

 is added a pound of sour milk, and the necessary 

 quantity of salt. . The whole is kneaded together 

 and the mixture covered up and allowed to re- 

 main for three or four hours (days.') according to 

 the season. At the end of this time it is kneaded 

 anew, and the cheeses are jdaced in little baskets, 

 where the superfluous moisture is allowed to 

 escape ; they are then allowed to dry in the 

 shade, and [daced in layers in large pots or 

 vessel.s, where they must remain fifteen days. 

 The older these cheeses are the more their quality 

 improves. Three kinds of them are made. The 

 first, which is the most common, is madeaccoid- 

 ing to pi-oportions above indicated ; the second 

 with four parts of potatoes and two parts of cow 

 or ewe milk. These cheeses have this advantage 

 over every other kind, that they do not engender 

 worms, and keep fresh for a great number of years, 

 provided ihey are placed in a dry situation, and 

 in well closed vessels. — Mechanic's Magazine. 



The Season. — The prosjiect of the New Eng- 

 laf.d farmer, says the N. H. Statesman, was never 

 more flattering than at present. — The spring thus 

 far compared with late seasons, has been unusual- 

 ly favorable. In fact the season for planting 

 which is now nearly over, was never more favor- 

 able. It has been wet enough and warm enough 

 to hasten vegetation, with as much rapidity as 

 could be desired. The grass never appeareil bet- 

 ter, and promi-es well. It is well set, and the re- 

 lieshing rains which have been so frequent iluring 



the last three weeks, promise an abundant crop 



Ports. Jour. 



