140 OPERATIONS OF TILLAGE. 



cattie are ascending the steep, the plough is throwing the 

 furrow-slice down hill ; whereas, in the other case, when 

 the cattle are ascending, they are raising the furrow-shce 

 up hill, by which their labor is greatly increased. 



" Besides the open furrows of the ridges, which act 

 as channels for carrying off the water, it is necessary, 

 when there are hollow places where water may stagnate, 

 to form open furrows or channels. This is done by draw- 

 ing a furrow with the plough in the direction most con- 

 venient for the purpose. A w^orkman then follows with 

 a spade or shovel, and carefully opens intersections with 

 other furrows, so that there may be a free communica- 

 tion between them. 



'' Sometimes it is necessary that the furrow made by the 

 plough be further deepened by the spade, so as to form a 

 channel sufficiently large ; and wherever head-lands in- 

 tersect the run of water, channels must be cut through 

 them to the ditch or outlet, so that none may stagnate 

 upon the ground. Attention to these details in practice 

 is essential in all cases of tillage ; and it manifests a want 

 of skill and industrious habits in the farmer to suffer his 

 lands to be unproductive by the stagnating upon them of 

 surface-water." — Professor Low'^s Elements of Practical 

 Jlgriculture. 



It has been ascertained, that a team, walking at the rate 

 of one and a half miles an hour, will plough the following 

 quantity of a medium soil, to the depth of five inches, in 

 nine hours : 



Breadth of furrow 8 inches, at 1 



u 8 " 



u 9 cc 



