PREPARATION OF GROUND. 



FIG. 2. PHOCTOK'S STEAM DIGGEI:. 



at much less expense by a steam cultivator. This imple- 

 ment merely breaks up and stirs the ground, and does 

 not reverse the position of the surface and the subsoil, 

 but merely loosens the land and slightly mixes the two 

 together. 



I may here men- 

 tion the somewhat 

 new implement that 

 we used here three 

 years ago, which 

 gave us satisfaction, 

 one of Proctor's 

 Steam Diggers (Fig. 

 2.) The work of this 

 implement is the 

 nearest approach to 

 hand digging that I 

 have seen, and does literally dig the ground with strong 

 steel forks. The only drawback that we found was that it 

 can only be used in dry weather, as the great weight of 

 the engine passing over the land when it is at all wet 

 does more harm than good. But when the land is dry 

 enough to bear the weight without closing the ground, it 

 makes splendid work, breaking up and slightly mixing 

 the subsoil, and throwing it back leaves it in a light and 

 open condition; and it breaks up the subsoil in such a way 

 that an uneven broken bottom is left below the soil, 

 through which water easily escapes. And if it can ebe 

 dug up for a few weeks before being required for planting, 

 so much the better. 



If, however, no steam tackle can be obtained, or there is 

 not sufficient room for its proper use, a good substitute 

 may be found in the use of the subsoil plough. This 



