REPORTS. 



REPORT ON SUB-SOIL PLOUGHIXG AXD MANURES. 



Sub-soil Ploughing, has not, in this region as yet arrested the at- 

 tention of farmers, as its importance deserves. The operation of the 

 double-coultered plough; — called the Michigan plough in this coun- 

 try, but Morton s plough in Europe, — will, we hope, be the means of 

 exciting more interest in the subject. 



From the knjown downward tendencies of the Chairman of the 

 Committee, the Society will not think it strange if he gets a little 

 nearer to the rocks than the sub-soil plough reaches. He will, there- 

 fore, venture to suggest a mode of enriching land, to Avhich he called 

 the attention of farmers in his Final Report on the Geologv of Mas- 

 sachusetts, but which probably has been forgotten. It is well known 

 that some of the most valuable manures are soluble in water, and 

 such, of course, are carried downwards through the soil as deep as 

 the water penetrates. This will in a great measure descend till it 

 meets with a stratum of hard pan, or clay, that is impervious to water, 

 thence we may expect that the dejjosit lying immediately above such 

 impervious stratum, will contain salts, valuable as manure, if brought 

 to the surface. This has been proved by several facts, which are cited 

 in the Report above alluded to, under the head of Muck Sand. 

 (p. 107.) But the water bearing stratum, whether loam, or sand, 

 may lie near the surface ; and this may be one of the secrets of the 

 good effects of sub-soil ploughing. In many cases this stratum may 

 be recognized by the springs that issue from it in steep banks ; and 

 it may prove more valuable than even sub-soil ploughing. 



On the subject of Compost Manures, two statements were received : 

 one from Samuel Powers of Hadley, to which the Committee award 

 the highest premium of ten dollars ; and a second from Dr. David 

 Rice of Leverett, to whom the Committee recommend a gratuity of 

 six dollars. A third statement was presented by Dr. S. Fish of North 

 Amherst ; but it came too late ; and we can only recommend to him 

 to be earlier the next year. 



EDWARD HITCHCOCK, Chairman. 



STATEMEXT OF SAMUEL POWERS. 



To President E. Hitchcock, Chairman of the Committee on Com- 

 post Manures : 

 Dear Sir : — I have during the last four years, been in the habit of 

 using Compost Manure to a considerable extent, and from the expe- 



