CULTIVATION OP CROPS. 



59 



Various Styles of Ploughing. First-class ploughing is 

 seen at times; but, as a rule, the roughest kind of work, passes 

 muster. The regularly laid up furrow, laid on edge, (p. 53) 

 seen in our illustration as prepared for grain sowing, is the 



style of work most 

 in favour with 

 trained plough- 

 men. It is the 

 system adopted 

 for their prize 

 matches by the 

 Royal and High- 

 land Agricultural 

 Societies, and by 

 colonial societies 

 generally. The 

 test of merit is 

 "That the plough 

 cut the sole of the 

 furrow perfectly 

 flat, leave the land 

 side clear and true, lay the furrow slices with uniformity, 

 with perpendicular cut on land side, and leave a roomy 

 horse walk." A usual width of furrow is nine inches in 

 width by six in depth. The slice is laid up at an angle 

 of about 45deg. ; this exposes a large surface to the action 

 of the air, and is found suitable in old cultivated land, and 

 for soils of uniform richness to the depth stated. On the 

 whole, it is the system best adapted for grain crops where 

 the seed is broadcasted. 



The crested or peaked furrow is much in use in 

 Scotland, and also in the grain-growing sections of the 

 colonies where stiff soils, or those with more than the 

 average proportion of strong vegetable matter prevails. 

 The peak of the furrow exposes still more soil to the action 

 of the air, and by dipping the share downwards at the 

 land side a depth of seven or eight inches is made at that 

 point. 



The inverted furrow is a favorite colonial style of 

 ploughing, and answers very well where the land is not too 



Inverted Furrow, Australian Ploughing. 



