506 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



ened. The tools should be kept in a dry shed, whenever they are 

 not in actual use. 



The team.* should be carefully attended to, and those intended 

 for working be fed as follows : say 



per diem; 15 lbs. cut hay, ( corn, ^ 

 8 lbs. feed, . . ( oals, | 

 and about one peck of carrots (sliced). 



This may be varied by replacing some of the feed by bean meal, 

 ground barley, linseed meal, &c. It is exceedingly foolish to feed 

 the team only on w^orking days for they lose strengtli in place of 

 keeping in usual condition. The harness should be thoroughly 

 repaired and oiled; also, all manner of carts and w^agons. 



In the purchase of plows, great discrimination should be used. 



Those are best which combine lightness of draught, with ability 

 to till deeply, and thoroughly pulverize the soil. State diiference 

 in cost of working soil ? It is not desirable to have the furrow 

 slice laid like a smooth board upon the surface. The particles of 

 the soil should be thoroughly separated from each other, so as to 

 be acted upon by air and moisture. The soluble portions are 

 thus washed and crumbled from exposed surfaces, and are ready 

 to be dissolved in w^ater and sucked into the bodies of plants. 



In the early stages of j^lant growth, it is absc/,utely necessary 

 to give the roots every opportunity to ramify in all directions in 

 search of food. < 



Describe composition and early growth of plants — whenever 

 and wherever practicable soils should be drained — the materials 

 most suitable decided by locality — tile most enduring and efi'ec- 

 tive; but they should be laid so that their introduction into the 

 soil shall not be a mere interment of pipes and money. 



Sub-soiling — I would as soon be without a knife and fork, as 

 without a sub-soil plow^ Every foot of ground reclaimed from ori- 

 ginal compact condition, gives some 120 tons pr acre of plant food. 



Sub-soiling is not good on wet lands, they should be drained. 

 This may be partially, but only temporarily accomplished on wet 

 lands which are rolling or have a considerable slope, by running 

 the cuts of the sub-soil plow up and down the hill. The sole of 

 the plow would thus make a sort of mole drain, which would 

 last perhaps an entire season or even less; but this is shown 

 simply to enable the farmer to make a shift until the fall, when 

 he should underdrain any land of this description. The loss of 

 one crop of wheat on wet land, would pay the cost of draining. 

 Draining companies of England make much money, &c. 



