Of Ploughing. 299 



from destruction, and prevent the descent of moisture from 

 above, to the open furrows left for carrying it off. Hence 

 the land necessarily becomes soaked with water. 



2. Form of the Furrow-Slice. 



There is great difficulty, in considering the operation of 

 ploughing, to determine the width and the depth of the 

 furrow-slice, as they must vary, according to the object which 

 the farmer has in view, the nature of the preceding and suc- 

 ceeding crop, and other circumstances. The following table 

 will give some idea, of what is considered to be a proper 

 size, in different circumstances, though it must be regulated, 

 in almost every case, according to the nature of the soil that 

 is to be worked : 



Table of Ploughing. 



Width. Depth. 



Nature of the Ploughing. Inches. Inches. 



First fallow furrow, 10 6-8-10-12 



Second furrow ditto, 9 6-7 



Third furrow, 8 5J 



Fourth furrow, 7 5 



Seed furrow, 7 4 



Oat crop from turnips, 9 4-5 



Oat crop from clover ley, 9 5-6-7 



Beans, when on one furrow, 9 6-7-8-9 



Beans, if with a second furrow, 9 5 



Barley, first furrow, 9 6-7 



Barley, second furrow, 8 5 



Barley, last furrow, or after turnips, 8 4 



Potatoes, first furrow, 9 4-6 



Potatoes, second furrow, 8 5 



The following general rules regarding the depth of plough- 

 ing, are recommended to the reader's attention, as the result 

 of much careful inquiry respecting this interesting subject. 



3. Maxims respecting the proper Depth of Ploughing. 



1. The depth to which land should be ploughed, must in 

 some measure be regulated by the deepness of the soil. On 

 thin soils, more especially on a rocky substratum, the 

 ploughing must necessarily be shallow ; but when the soil, 

 whether light or strong, will admit of it, the furrow ought to 

 be made, as deep as a pair of horses can accomplish ; and it 

 is occasionally advantageous, to plough it even with four 

 horses, particularly at the commencement of every fresh ro- 



