Chap. XVI. Of R i d g e s. 247 



The Benefit of laying up ftrong deep Land into 

 Ridges is very great-, tho* there be no Springs in it, 

 as are in the Hills aforementioned. 



This Land, when it lies flat, and is plowed fome- 

 times one Way, fometimes the other, by crofs-plow- 

 ing, retains the Rain-water a long time foaking into 

 it ; by that Misfortune, the Plough is kept out Two 

 or Three Weeks longer than if the fame were in 

 round Ridges; nay, fometimes its Flatnefs keeps it 

 from drying till the Seafon of plowing, and even of 

 fowing too, be loft. 



The Reafons commonly given againft fuch Ridges 

 are thefe following. 



I. 'They prevent the fanfied Benefit of cr of s -plow- 

 ing. 



II. Farmers think they lofe Tart of their Ground, by 

 leaving more Furrows betwixt Ridges, than when 

 they lay their hand flat, where the Lands are made 

 much larger than round Ridges can conveniently 

 be -, and becaufe alfo the Furrows betwixt Ridges 

 muft be broader, and lie open ; but the other they 

 fill up by the Harrows. 



The firft of thefe 1 have already anfwered elfe- 

 where, by (hewing, that Crofs-plowing is oftener in- 

 jurious than beneficial. 



The Second I fhall fufficiently confute, if I can 

 make appear, that no Ground is loft, but much may 

 be gained, by Ridges. 



What I mean by gaining of Ground, is the in- 

 creasing of the Earth's Surface : For if a flat Piece be 

 plow'd up into Ridges, and if in each Sixteen Feet 

 Breadth there be an empty Furrow of Two Feet ; 

 and yet, by the Height and Roundnefs of the Ridges, 

 they have Eighteen Feet of Surface capable of pro- 

 ducing Corn, equally to Eighteen Feet whilft the 

 Piece was flat -, there will be one Eighth Part of pro- 

 fitable Ground or Surface gain'd, more than it had 

 R 4 when 



