CULTIVATION OP CROPS. 57 



obtained and is so effective, that, so far as practicable, it 

 should be brought into use as speedily and as generally 

 as possible. The chapter on Mechanics of Agriculture, 

 treat this subject more fully. 



To Keep up Fertility. This is dealt with in the 

 chapters on manuring, and the " Reminders " for work in 

 season in the garden, farm and orchard, at all periods 

 of the year. For crops must be fed. 



Ploughs and Ploughing. Many implements have been 

 tried, and many efforts made to do the work of the plough 

 by other means. The times were when the spade was 

 considered a formidable rival, and in the description of 

 work for which the plough was considered best suited. 

 Enthusiastic admirers wrote essays upon " spade culture," 

 and the vast improvement it would confer on mankind. 

 But that time has gone, and for ever, from all but the 

 inner recesses of barbarism, where men are considered of 

 no more value than to compete with horses in turning over 

 the soil. Not that we would speak slightingly of the spade. 

 It is a good implement in good hands ; but in many kinds 

 of work the same hands might do much more with a well- 

 made plough, and do it as well better, as market 

 gardeners near the great city of Europe and America 

 believe. And they have about the best opportunities for 

 judging. In the colonies, the plough is the main 

 implement of culture, and, to the credit of the colonists be 

 it added, not only are the best imported implements of this 

 class popular, but a degree of skill has been brought to 

 bear upon the plough by colonial makers that is highly 

 to their credit. Their efforts have been mainly directed to 

 making ploughs suitable for the nature of the work to 

 be done. We see the result in the heavy colonial 

 plough. This breaking up machine is made for new land, in 

 which it has to cut through roots, &c., to a deptli of eight 

 or ten inches. This it doe.s in a way that calls out the 

 admiration of those even who at first look upon the 

 implement as ponderous and unwieldly. The form 

 adopted is similar to that of the ordinary Scotch swing 

 plough. The breast is higher, and runs out in a more 

 cutting edge than ordinary. The coulter is very heavy 



