312 Of Ridging. 



In opposition to these doctrines, it is contended, that 

 broad and Jiigh ridges are not favourable to the useful ope- 

 ration of cross-ploughing; -that they cannot well be har- 

 rowed by horses walking in the furrows, which is an advan- 

 tageous practice ; that they are not well calculated for the 

 drill husbandry ; that when ridges are narrow, the crowns 

 may be so well raised, that no rain can lodge upon them ; 

 and that every possible objection to narrow ridges, on the 

 score of wetness, is obviated, where hollow-draining, as 

 practised in Essex (3% is adopted ; that the furrows are 

 not lost, as they act not only as drains, but admit much air ; 

 that no inconvenience can arise from any length of furrows, 

 to a field ploughed in very narrow ridges, if proper use be 

 made of grips; that where the ridges and furrows are 

 sufficiently narrow and numerous, the soil cannot be washed 

 away ; and as a general maxim, it may be laid down, ** that 

 as in dry porous soils, the ridges cannot be too broad, so in wet 

 clays, they cannot be ploughed too narrow" 



From these adverse statements, the reader will be able to 

 judge, what size of ridge will best suit his soil and climate. 



In regard to dry, porous, turnip soils, it is of little im- 

 portance, whether ridges are formed at all, unless to regu- 

 late the sowing and cutting down of the crop. A thirty feet 

 ridge is, in such cases, considered to be a proper width, as 

 it saves time in ploughing, there being fewer furrows to clear 

 out in finishing the field : it also saves time in forming the 

 ridges, when the land has been cross-ploughed ; and it keeps 

 more moisture in the soil, than a ridge of less width. 



The peculiar mode which has been put in practice, by an 

 intelligent farmer in Scotland, (of having covered drains in 

 the furrows of broad ridges), would probably be of use, in 

 several districts of England, particularly in the Vale of 

 Gloucester, as in wet seasons, and more especially in winter, 

 each furrow, where these broad ridges are used, becomes a 

 canal of stagnant water ($[). The farmers in that Vale, have 

 so far adopted the plan above recommended, as to plough a 

 small ridge between the high ones ; and they have nothing 

 10 do, but to put a hollow drain under these small ridges, 

 in order to effect a most important improvement. The 

 following sketch will give some idea of the nature of the 

 operation : 



Ridge = Ridge = Ridge = Ridge = Ridge 



T3 T3 T3 T3 



2s 2 c 2s* c 



' ' ' 



