On Trench Ploughing. ^4^ 



trenched ground requires, after it has, by lying over a 

 winter in fallow, received its supplies from the air, less 

 manure^ than that ploughed in any other w^ay. I say 

 not this dogmatically; but from practical conviction. 

 I am as ready, on all occasions, to acknowledge an er- 

 ror, as I am to support a truth, 



Plaister does not operate till animal, or vegetable 

 putrefied substances are restored, to trenched soils. 



My course was, in four years — 



1. In the autumn to trench, 



2. A crop o{ Indian corn — sometimes />^«^(? ; or on part 

 flax — also carrots^ scarcity roots, potatoes, pumpkins, 

 and such crops ; in which I had great success. I ap- 

 plied lime ; never exceeding eighty bushels per acre ; 

 but commonly fifty. The com, plaistered, yielded 

 abundantly ; but it required shovelings, or some dung, 

 in the hills, to give activity to the plaister. 



3. Ploughed in the usual way- dunged, with 



about twelve to fifteen cart loads, (two oxen and an 

 horse in the team) to the acre. Wheat — whereof I have 

 had from twenty-five, to forty bushels to the acre, per- 

 fectly clean— the former not uncommon, on fields which 

 before yielded seven to ten ; and that mixed with gar- 

 lie, most disgustingly. 



iiclent. In stiff soils the more strength of draft, the less the 

 animals are fatigued ; and the business is the sooner per- 

 formed. Those who have not horses or oxen competent to 

 the operation, are the least likely to adopt or approve it.- — ^ 

 And few of those who could accomplish it if they were so 

 inclined, will permit themselves to believe in its usefulness. 



