Cm } 
“that the underlayer of earth is as proper for ve- 
getation as the upper, maintain a paradox, refuted, 
both by reason and experience.” 
Where, however, it becomes part of your object 
to increase the depth of the surface soil, deep 
ploughing is indispensible ; and in this, as in many 
other cases, we must submit to present inconve- 
nience for the advantage of future benefit. But 
even here, it is laid down as a rule, that “in prepor- 
tion as you deepen your ploughing, you increase the 
necessily for manures.” (1) 
“From six to eight inches, may be taken as the 
ordinary depth of sufficient ploughing.”(2) And, 
4th. Of the different modes of ploughing, [level or 
ridge ploughing, | which is to be preferred ? 
This question admits no absolute answer. We 
have already suggested the use of the latter mode, 
in stiff, heavy, wet clays, and, in our opinion, all 
ground in which clay predominates, whatever be 
the culture, should be made to take this form; be- 
cause it powerfully tends to drain the soil and carry 
off, from the roots of the growing plants, that su- 
perfluous water which, left to itself, would serious- 
ly affect both the quality and the quantity of their 
products.(3) In sandy, porous, dry soils, on the 
other hand, evel ploughing is to be preferred, be- 
cause ridging such soils would but increase that 
want of cohesion, which is their natural defect. 
(1) Young. 
(2) Idem. 
(3) It has been objected to ridge ploughing, that it accumulates the good soil on 
the crowns of ridges, and impoverishes the sides and furrows. These objections are 
obviated by narrow and low ridges, which alternate, every crop, ith the furrows, 
