^78 [Assembly 



Chalnnan, Our regular subject, Ploughing and Sub-soiling, is 

 tiow in order. 



Dr. Underbill. I must say we do not usually plough half deep 

 enough for a crop. If I was to try to produce the greatest crop, I 

 would plough the surface soil not deep, but thoroughly. I would 

 mix the manure in it, and the soil itself, most perfectly^ then I would 

 plough as deep as the soil went, mix all thoroughly, let in the at- 

 mosphere among the pulverized parts, comparing this process tn that 

 of a baker, who mixes his yeast so perfectly with the flour th ;t eve- 

 ry particle gets some of it. In this way I would obtain a double 

 crop nearly. In such a tillage all the roots find easy penetration and 

 abundant food, and a drought, fatal to crops with little and but shal- 

 low plowing, would hardly be felt in this. I have seen comparative- 

 ly poor farms treated in this way, and their crops were doubled the 

 first year. 



I\Ir. Pike. I am diametrically opposed to this where there is a 

 sandy, loose subsoil; but in a hard one, I agree that Dr. Underbill's 

 method would prove good. As to capillary attraction, of which he 

 speaks, I think that moisture rises in the soil by means of the pres- 

 sure of the atmosphere, and also the tendency of moisture to unite 

 with dry bodies. The true philosophy of ploughing is to make the 

 soil pliable. I want my furrows laid at an angle, not flat, for if it 

 is, air can't get to it, and hardly water. Take oflf the pressure of 

 the atmosphere, and the moisture or fluids, will not ascend. 



Mr. Meigs. But the pressure of air is equal in all directions, so 

 that it cannot cause the ascent or descent of fluids in the soil. 



Dr. Underbill. The term capillary attraction, is used to denote the 

 ascent of gravitation in fine tubes. Wherever fluids rise against gra- 

 vity, we call it capillary attraction. 



Oliver Smith. The idea of mixing air with soil is all gammon! 

 The foliage of plants takes in the carbon from the atmosphere. Mr. 

 Smith then explained the theory of capillary attraction, as evinced 

 by his demonstration of the electricity in his recent published Essay, 

 the Outlines of Nature. 



Dr. Underbill. Carbon in solution in water, enters the roots of 

 plants, as well as their foliage. 



