64 AGRICULTURAL REPORT. [March, 



Mr. Bennett, has been honored with the premiums of the Mas- 

 sachusetts Agricultural Society, says "that he is satisfied from 

 experience, years since, that the ploughing of green sward or 

 stubble in the autumn, is a loss in the following crop of at 

 least ten per cent. Sward lands, that are ploughed in the fall 

 become compact during the winter ; the finer parts washed 

 between the furrow slice, excluding the air, and preventing- 

 the surplus water from draining off, consequently the turf lies 

 heavy and dormant, with but little benefit to the crop. On 

 the other hand, if ploughed in the spring, the soil is light and 

 receives the harrow kindly ; and the furrow slice does not 

 become so compact as to prevent the circulation of the air, 

 and allows the excess of water to take its proper course ; and 

 the sward, when the crop comes off, will be in a more forward 

 state of decomposition than if ploughed the fall before." 



These various opinions, coming from practical men of much 

 intelligence and long experience, deserve" attention. It would 

 not answer to delay the sowing of wheat until the middle of 

 May, as there would be great risk in our climate of its suffering 

 from mildew. If wheat is to be sowed on green sward, it 

 should be ploughed much earlier. But this would not in that 

 case afford the protection against the wire worm to which Mr. 

 Phinney refers. I must dissent from the inference, (at least, I 

 hold my judgment in suspense until I have farther light,) that 

 this late spring ploughing is to be deferred on account of the 

 superabundance of vegetable matter then' to be turned under. 

 Theory and experiment in this matter conflict with each other. 

 I have been always inclined to the belief, which generally pre- 

 vails, and which Mr. Phinney maintains, that the higher the 

 state of luxuriance in which vegetable matter is turned in by 

 the plough, the more the land will be enriched by it. But the 

 experience of one of the best farmers in the State, has satisfied 

 me, especially as it has been confirmed by another equally 

 intelligent farmer, and wholly unbiassed by the judgment of 

 any other person, that the land is more benefited by the turn- 

 ing in of the clover crop after it is dried than when in a state 



