1840.] SENATE— No. 36. 209 



return varying from 10 to 40 or 50 per cent., according to the various 

 circumstances attending the infinite variety of cases in which the sys- 

 tem may be carried into effect. Every thing depends on the mode 

 and perfection of execution, if any one thinks of limiting the expense 

 of complete execution, he may rest assured, that the recompense will 

 be still more restricted, and that it is more judicious to improve one 

 acre well, than to deceive himself by a superficial operation on a 

 more extended surface. 



A remarkable effect is, that the harvest is considerably earlier on 

 land so treated than on the same land in its previous state, and it 

 is scarcely necessary to remark, that there will be a constant return 

 for the same seed and labor and manure far greater than when they 

 are applied to land in a naturally wet condition. 



Evidence of James Smith, Esq., inventor of the Sub-soil Plough. 



Chairman. You live at Deanston ? — Yes. 



Where is that? — In the western district of Perthshire in Scotland. 



Do you occupy a considerable farm in that part of Scotland ? — 

 About 200 acres. 



Have you improved your farm lately? — I have. 



In what way ? — Chiefly by thorough draining and sub-soil plough- 

 ing. 



What was the nature of the soil upon your farm ? — It was various ; 

 there is some part of it rather light soil, some of it gravelly upon the 

 edge of the river, and some lightish loam, with rather a tenacious bot- 

 tom, and in other parts a stiff sandy clay. 



Is it a stiiT sub-soil ? — Some part of it very stiff. 



And it was all subject very much to wet? — The greater part of it 

 was covered with rushes and bent before being drained. 



Will you describe to the Committee your mode of draining? — The 

 principle upon which I drain is to put in drains frequently, so that there 

 may be opportunities for the water to pass off. because I find that in 

 our climate the cliief injury arises from the water that falls from the 

 heavens. 



Are those drains placed up the furrows or across the land ? — They 

 are placed in the same direction that the furrows were before, but I 

 have now no furrows. I lay all my fields down without any furrows. 

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