64 



bushes and moss and very poor fences, with all the attendant an- 

 noyances ; and now, in 1858, it is a pretty good pasture, with sub- 

 stantial fences, and think I may safely say that it Avill pasture 

 four cows decidedly better now, than it Avould two before. 



Respectfully yours. 



Smith Gray. 

 Walpole, Sept. 27, 1858. 



REPORT ON EXPERIMENTS IN SUBSOIL 

 PLOUGHING. 



The Committee on " Experiments in Subsoil Ploughing," have 

 attended to the duty assigned to them. 



As there were no entries for the premiums offered by the Soci- 

 ety, the Committee have nothing to report on the special matter 

 committed to them. They believe, however, that a few general 

 remarks may not be considered as out of place. 



That subsoil ploughing, when judiciously applied to pecuhar 

 locations, and where previous draining can be economically ac- 

 complished, is attended with most favorable results, is now well 

 established. The experience in Old and New England fully 

 establishes the fact, that without previous draining the subsoil 

 plouging in wet lands is worse than useless. One great advan 

 tage resulting from the publication of the Transactions of Agricul- 

 tural Societies is, that subsequent inquirers are aided in making 

 up their reports, and whenever a topic has been ably treated, and 

 no material errors discernible, it is Avise to refer to them. With 

 these impressions, the Committee take pleasure in referring to the 

 Report of Sanford Howard, Esq., "On the Principles of Plough- 

 ing," in the Transactions of the Norfolk Society, 1852, pp. 117 

 to 128. Mr. Howard concludes his able report with this remark: 

 " Subsoil ploughing has, in some instances, had a favorable effect 

 in enabling crops to withstand drought, as ascertained by using 

 the implement in alternate breadths through the fields ; but fur- 

 ther and more particular experiments are required to prove its 

 effects with certainty, on different descriptions of soil and for dif- 

 ferent crops." These cautious remarks were written, it will be 

 observed, six years ago. Since then, much more attention has 

 been given to the subject here and in England. As far back as 

 1889 and 40, there were animated discussions in the leading 

 agricultural journals of England and Scotland on the comparative 

 advantage of subsoil ploughing and thorough drainage. One wri- 

 ter says, " We are quite sure that no true farmer — no farmer 



