PRINCIPLES OF TILLAGE. 117 



The means which he employed are withm our reach, and 

 the advantages of using them manifest. The chmate of 

 Germany is not very dissimilar to ours, save that ours is 

 rather the most mild. 



That our readers may understand the principles upon 

 which the improvements at Flottbeck were based, we 

 subjoin them in the Baron's own words. 



" The few general principles adopted here with all 

 kinds of produce, are the fruit of thirteen years' experi- 

 ence, and several thousand experiments. 



"1. The soil must have 11.280 to 14.000 inches of 

 krume, in order to admit of the roots penetrating into the 

 ground ; that in wet weather, the water, which in a flat 

 soil might drown the crops, may be absorbed, and formed 

 in the deep into a reservoir, from which the extremities 

 of the roots may imbibe a nourishing moisture, impregna- 

 ted with carbonic gas, which it draws from the manure 

 fermenting in the earth. *" 



" The krume must have a depth of 14.000 inches, in 

 order that the exhausted surface, being buried at a greater 

 depth, may reimbibe the lost moisture. 



'' This I obtained, by having the land ploughed in au- 

 tumn, to a depth of about 5.640 to 7.520 inches, then 

 having it finely harrowed, and finally rayolt it with two 

 ploughs, one behind the other, (the last with four ani- 

 mals ;) this requires, of course, swing ploughs, as it is 

 absolutely necessary to plough before rayoled. 



" The latter operation is usually performed by oxen. 



"2. In autumn all ditches must be opened, and all 

 the drains examined, so that the water may not be stopped 

 in any place. 



" 3. The rayolt lands must be laid in high furrows, 

 by means of ploughing, always two furrows together, af- 

 ter the rayoled and furrowing, so as to make a water-fur- 



* " Thaer mentions the following proportion of the value of the soil, 

 with a flat and deep mould. ' If,' says he, ' the soil, with a mould 

 of three inches, is worth 38, that possessed of five inches of mould 

 will be worth 50 ; that of 8, 62 ; and that of 11, 74 ;' and this en- 

 tirely agrees with my experience at Flottbeck. Should we then hesi- 

 tate to spend a few years, and some manure, thus permanently to 

 enhance the value of our fields ?" 



