10 MR. proctor's address. 



valuable service to the country at large, than has been 

 realized from the expenditure of millions in preparation 

 for the destruction of our fellow beings. 



In connection with the structure of ploughs best 

 adapted to our use, allow me for a moment to ask your 

 attention to the sub-soil plough, with which I presume 

 you are but little, if any acquainted. Although known 

 for years in Kurope, and in some parts of our own coun- 

 try, I am not aware that it has been much used in this 

 County. It is made to follow in the furrow directly 

 after the common surface plough, loosening and moving 

 the earth to the depth of six or eight inches below the 

 first furrow, without bringing any part of it to the sur- 

 face. The advantage to be derived from such loosen- 

 ing is, that the superabundant moisture settles down to 

 the bottom of the furrow, and there is a constant opera- 

 tion of the atmosphere which gradually converts it into 

 productive soil. It thus produces all the benefits of 

 deep ploughing, without the disadvantage of the admix- 

 ture of an undue proportion of unproductive ingredients 

 in the soil. The soil thus moved will afford space for 

 the extension of the roots or fibres of the plants, so that 

 in seasons of drought, they will be less likely to fail. 

 And the ultimate consequence will be, if the land is 

 properly manured, an additional depth to the soil, — 

 say instead of 6 or 7 inches, there will be found 10 or 

 12 inches. For root crops, and many others, such an 

 alteration must be of great value. Where this process 

 of sub-soil ploughing has been tried for a number of 

 years successively, and the sub-soil has been gradually 

 mixing with the upper soil, the whole has been found 

 so completely changed, as to be capable of producing 

 crops that could not before have been cultivated to any 

 advantage. 



Mr. Phinney of Lexington, to whom the agricultural 

 community are under great obligations for his numerous 

 and well conducted experiments, particularly those 

 in the management of grass lands, first brought the sub- 

 soil ploughs into use in this vicinity, about three or four 

 years since. The pattern then used has been much im- 



