116 PRINCIPLES OF TILLAGE. • 



3. Increasing the fertility with the increasing depth of 

 the soil, by ploughing in green crops, and by husbanding 

 and judiciously applying manure — the latter applied to 

 the potato and rape crops, and before it had become ex- 

 hausted by fermentation. 



4. Throwing the land into one-bout ridges in autumn, 

 (it being generally flat and rather stiff,) and cleaning the 

 intermediate furrows with a double mouldboard plough. 

 This operation enriched the soil^by atmospheric influence, 

 broke down its stubbornness, and laid it dry, so that the 

 spring operations could be commenced two or three 

 weeks earlier than formerly. 



5. Thorough pulverization preparatory to putting in 

 seeds, and giving these only a superficial covering of 

 earth. 



6. Graduating, by a scale, which the Baron's long ob- 

 servation and numerous experiments had enabled him to 

 contrive, the manure to be applied, to the precise de- 

 mands of the soil and the crop — thus receiving the whole 

 benefit which it was capable of imparting, without loss by 

 excess. 



7. A judicious rotation — in which green crops often 

 intervened. The rotation was one of six years, as the 

 clover, which he observes forms the basis of agriculture, 

 cannot return oftener. The intermediate crops were 

 wheat, oats, mixed fodder, barley, rye, potatoes, vetches, 

 rape, &c., the climate of Germany not admitting the cul- 

 ture of Indian corn. 



In 1829, Flottbeck exhibited a far different appearance 

 from what it did in 1813. All the fields showed a level 

 surface — the krume or mould had every where a depth 

 of 14 inches. The fields were rendered dry by ditches, 

 and the under-water was carried off* by 27 under-drains — 

 no noxious plants infested the ground, save the dog's 

 grass, when the clover happened to be frozen out — and 

 the produce was so much increased, that the same area, 

 which, in 1813, would yield only 14 bushels rye, in 1829 

 was found to produce 24 bushels of wheat. 



We think there is much in Baron Von Voght's prac- 

 tice that commends itself to the notice of our farmers. 



