504 Teaksactions of the American Institute. 



however, was not quite terrified by the result. The first year he 

 plowed four or five inches deeper and lost all his crop. After that 

 he altered his tnodus (yperandi, and plowed an inch deeper each year, 

 with the happiest results. The point in deep plowing was that it 

 should be done gradually. It was the greatest possible preventive of 

 the evil efiects of drouths, and in that lay the greatest argument in 

 favor of it. The contrariety of opinion on this subject arose, Mr. 

 Smith thought, from the experiment having been tried on difierent 

 soils with diff'erent results, each experimentalist making out the result 

 of his experiment to be universal. 



Mr. Swift explained what kind of soil might be plowed deep, 

 advantageously, and where and when shallow plowing would be much 

 better than deep plowing. 



Mr. T. C. Peters. — I was on the committee that visited Salem 

 county, as a kind of fifth wheel, and I am a good deal of the same 

 opinion as the gentleman from Massachusetts. The expediency and 

 inexpediency of deep or shallow plowing depends upon surrounding 

 circumstances, and upon the nature of the soil to be operated. In the 

 sandy parts of New Jersey shallow plowing is most unquestionably 

 the best. There is one question the club ought to settle : What is 

 deep plowing, and what shallow ? 



Chairman. — I suppose three inches is shallow, but what may be 

 called deep plowing is quite another question. 



Dr. Isaac P. Trimble. — Eighteen inches may be called deep plowing. 



Question by the Chairman. — How deep do farmers ordinarily plow ? 



Mr. Jas. A. Whitney. — About ten inches. 



Mr. S. E. Todd. — Yery few farmers plow as deep as that. 



Mr. T. C. Peters. — In my opinion, five inches and under is shallow ; 

 over five inches is deep. In western New York they have a system 

 of plowing the first year five inches for the purpose of planting corn ; 

 the next year deeper again ; and the third year eight or ten inches 

 for wheat. Such a plan would not hold in New Jersey, where the 

 very best farmers will only plow deep enough to cover their manure. 



Dr. F. M. Ilexamer. — We ought to define our terms. The average 

 depth is five inches. All below that may be called deep tillage, and 

 less than that and five inch plowing should be considered shallow. 



Mr. Cowing, of New Orleans, spoke of the southern soils. lie said 

 the subsoil of most of the Louisiana plantations, when first tlirown 

 up, is sterile, and weeds will not grow the first year. But afterward, 

 the earth being sweetened by sun and air, the places where earth of 



