216 APPENDIX. [March, 



to 12 inches wide; then follows the sub-soil plough to the depth of 14 

 inches, taking care not to stir the turf covering the stones in the drains ; 

 it is worked at right angles of the drains, and drawn by six horses, 

 two and two abreast. The plough is drawn from an axletree, with 

 double shafts and low wheels ; the horses draw perfectly even, and by 

 this mode it is no more than ordinary work. 



An account of the application of the Sub-soil Plough to a dry soil at 

 Heckfeld, Hants. By Charles Shaw Lefevre, Esq. 31. P. 



Although the effects of the sub-soil plough in the improvement of 

 wet and tenacious soils are well known, I am not aware that any one 

 has as yet applied this valuable implement to soils of a totally opposite 

 character : I will therefore state the result of an experiment which I 

 have tried upon land in my own occupation. 



I have a field of 6 acres, which for many years has been scarcely 

 worth cultivating. It consists of a light sandy soil, from 5 to 7 inches 

 in depth, covering a stratum of hard gravel. This stratum varies in 

 depth from 8 to 12 inches ; and below it there is a yellow sand, with a 

 very slight admixture of loam. 



There are no springs in the field ; but, in wet seasons, on those 

 spots where the surface of the field is uneven, the water is retained in 

 pools until it has evaporated. In other parts of the field the same 

 passes off immediately, without being retained or absorbed by the sub- 

 soil ; and, consequently, in dry seasons the crop is invariably parched 

 and burnt up. It occurred to me to apply the sub-soil plough, which 

 had worked such wonders in a clay soil, to a dry burning gravel. 



The eflfect of my experiment will be best explained by a short state- 

 ment of the produce of the field, for a series of years, up to the present 

 period : — 



In the autumn of 1836 it was ploughed with the sub-soil plough, at 

 a cost of 30»;. per acre. 



1837, - - - Turnips, - - 8 tons per acre. 



1838, - - - Barley, - - - 10 sacks per acre. 



