Proceedings of the Farmers' Club. 579 



eaed by a display of various grasses, weeds and plants, more or less 

 useful, most of which are curious in northern eyes. 



Deep or Shallow Plowing, 



Mr. D. L. Farrar, Buckfield, Me., wrote as follows : " I herewith 

 send Dr. Trimble a full pardon for all the mischief he has caused by 

 advocating three-inch plowing. I have never worked land yet where 

 deep plowing was any benefit, and I have worked all kinds known in 

 this State, and I make all my neighbors who favor deep plowing this 

 ofier : Divide the land to be plowed in two equal parts ; plow one 

 part three inches deep ; apply the same amount of manure after 

 plowing and before harrowing, all the other work being done equal. 

 I will make up the crop the same as that grown on the deep plowed 

 part, provided they will give me what more there is over and above 

 what grows on the deep plowed part, and I will warrant better crops 

 of hay after seeded to grass ; and if Horace Greeley will make the 

 same offer in favor of deep plowing, my word for it he will be bank- 

 rupt at the first harvest." 



Dr. Isaac P. Trimble. — I can't help regarding this as an exceedingly 

 sensible communication. 



The Chairman. — Most people are pleased when absolved from their 

 iniquities. 



Mr. N. C. Meeker. — Mr. Greeley has raised a large crop of corn, 

 the largest on the line of the Harlem road, I am told, on deep plowed 

 land. I am going up to Chappaqua to see, and will take notes and 

 report. 



Dr. Isaac P. Trimble. — I have been there already, and a neighbor 

 of Mr. Greeley told me he had to abandon deep plowing, and only 

 got the crop of this season because he went down six inches and 

 mixed his black muck witli clay- and gravel from the hills adjoining. 



Mr. F. D. Curtis. — Whether deep or shallow, depends entirely on 

 the quality of soil. Muck soil must not be stirred too much, neither 

 sandy soil ; but in a heavy clay loam it is well to go deep. In time 

 of drouth, if you have a hard pan under clay loam, you will probably 

 get very little harvest, but if you break up the hard pan and give 

 the roots a chance to go down, the dry weather will have less ill 

 eft'eet. 



Mr. Fuller. — I would add an appendix to all this, that it largely 

 depends on tlie crops you purpose growing. If I plant grape vines 

 or other vegetation, the roots of which have a habit of going deep, I 



