JANUARY. 37 



tirely on the soil. In clay the result has given 

 much satisfaction ? but in loose spungy loams, how- 

 ever wet, and where sand gauls (as they are called) 

 abound, the drains have generally stopped. A 

 young farmer should therefore acquaint himself well 

 with his soil to the depth of from 14 to 18 inches ; 

 for if he has not a pretty regular stratum of clay, 

 or stiff marl, he may expect the pipes to fail in. 

 years ; whereas in stiff soils, those are running 

 well at present that were made six or seven years 

 ago. 



Another remark that should be made, relates to 

 the strength of the draft. Without wheels, the 

 plough demands 10, 12, and even 14 horses ; 

 these, when the land is wet, do almost as much 

 mischief in trampling as the drains can do good. 

 The addition, therefore, which has been made to 

 this implement, of wheels before and a roller be- 

 hind, is of essential importance, and reduces the 

 team to six or eight horses. It is certainly an ex- 

 cellent tool, if weli applied. 



A precaution, which should be mentioned here, 

 is, on grass-laud, to open a furrow with a good 

 common plough, or better, with an open -furrow 

 drain plough, in order that the mole plough may 

 follow and finish the work by turning back the fur- 

 row. This defends the slit from the frost, which 

 otherwise is apt to moulder down the earth, to the 

 hazard of stopping the drains. 



A capital improvement has been made on the 

 mole plough by Mr. Lumbert, of Gloucestershire, 



i> 3 which 



