











202 



THE AGRICULTURAL GAZETTE. 



My scheo of implements, to \x complete, embraced 

 ft drill, which was to act immediately behind the pressor 

 Wheels, and to fcop seed by se<'<l into the bard channels. 

 The spindle of the prettier was to turn the drill wheels, 

 and the boxes weie to be m io removable. Being un- 

 able to accomplish this in time far the first year's sowing, 



I had the seed, as heretofore, dropped by hand, and 

 covered over and heavily compressed by rough roller- 

 wheels, or crushers. I will not repeat here my pub- 

 lished description of these rollers, or of the implement 

 for hoeing and stirring between the rows of Wheat, or 

 of the scarifiers and harrows for moving the intervals, 

 and levelling them for seed time. It will be enough to 

 state that each of these implements is applicable to the 

 frame which contains the presser wheels, and is*made 

 removable to make way for the others in their proper 

 season. 



In all the various operations performed by these 

 implements, the sown lands, and lands about to be made 

 ready for sowing, are untouched by the foot of man or 

 horse. The horse walks in the alley or interval. 

 While the implement is pressing C*T rolling the lands, 

 the driver is seated on the frame. When it is hoeing 

 t>r scarify ii , the driver walks, with reins, behind, and 

 by means of moveable handles lifts it at the turnings. 

 It is easy to calculate from the space covered by the 

 implement frame, the time occupied in these labours. I 

 found that I heavily pressed an acre within 40 minutes, 

 and went through the other operations in about 20 or 25. 



It is clear, then, that, so far, the scheme I advocate 

 and adopt, might be carried out easily, economically, and 

 expeditiously, to any extent. But, there is one im- 

 portant process, unconnected with these implements, 

 and neeeasary to my plan, which requires comment. 

 The seed having been sown and covered over, and 

 springing up, the fallow was prepared for the following 

 crop. The 3 feet intervals were tilled. And to do this 

 effectually there is no implement but the spade. The 

 process with this is very simple ; and, after a little 

 practice, very easy and safe. The spadesman first 

 throws out on the edge of his headland a certain number 

 of spits, say to the length of 3 feet. Having finished his 

 first interval, the same length of 3 feet will be left open 

 at the end. Beginning a fresh interval at that end of the 

 field, he casts the first spitsof this second interval into that 

 open space ; and so continues to deal with the ends of 

 each interval all through. Before commencing a spit, 

 he makes a cut about 4 or 5 inches from the outer rows 

 of Wheat, the back of his spade being towards the 

 rows, and then proceeds with his differing. And it was 

 a pleasant sight to see my gang of six men working 

 cheerfully side by side, and throwing up the soil into 

 loose ridges 8 or 10 inches higher than the tender 

 Wheat, as if for the sole purpose of protecting it. 

 Nothing but the spade could do this. Nothing but the 

 spade, within the limited space of 28 or 30 inches, ean 

 turn up the subsoil from the required depth, and place 

 it uppermost in such a form as to receive the full 

 benefit of the frosts of winter, and the rains and dews 

 of summer. That exposure of the subsoil is indis- 

 pensable. It is to that I look as the cheapest and best 

 means of providing, what would otherwise be inert and 

 useless in the bowels of the earth, the inorganic manure 

 for my Wheat, and of supplying a fresh and inex- 

 haustible store of mineral food. With every inch of 

 subsoil which I thus bring to the surface I am adding 

 100 tons of virgin soil to the staple of each acre ; and 

 I should think it little, therefore, were I forced to 

 linger in this operation,* and so pay dearly for this 

 acquisition. Let us look closely, however, and see 

 whether this plan of trenching for Wheat be, in reality, 

 less economical and less expeditious than the plough. 

 I will suppose that, as in the ordinary eases of good 

 farming, there are three ploughing for Wheat. That, 

 at 7 inches deep and 12*. the acre, will be 36s. ; and 

 the time occupied will be three days. What is the 

 difference, then, in point of time and expense, between 

 the plmigh and the spade? "It will take a good 

 labourer 30 days to trench an acre, and 1 6 to dig it 

 well." So says one high authority. « With proper 

 instruments, and some experience, a labourer can dig 

 an acre of light land 18 inches deep in 25 days, and 

 even 2 feet deep in 35 days f says another. " At the 

 large establishment of 150 acres of garden ground at 

 Fulham, the price given for piece-work, two spite deep, 

 is 2|A per rod » (being lfa. M. the half acre). Such 

 is the report of Mr. Cuthill. Now, at the commence- 

 ment of my trenching a field, I bring up only so much 

 of the subsoil (say 4, .5, or 6 inches, according to the 

 nature of the soil), as can be acted on by atmosphere 

 and prepared for use by the one year's fid low ; increasing 

 the quantity year after year till the staple has become 

 two good spits deep, as is the case with much of my 



clay land at this moment. And when all has once been 

 loosened in this way, and become light, the calculations 

 I have quoted may be considered correct ; with the 

 cheering prospect before us of a diminution of expence 

 hereafter to nearly one-half. Taking, then, the average 

 of these calculations, and commencing with 12 or 13 



inches deep, inclusive of the plough- 

 ing, th 3 first year, and allowing for 

 obstructions in the variety of soils 

 to be acted on, I reckon that one 

 man at tlie outset will dig two shal- 

 * low spits deep, and in after years, 



by degries, will deeply double dig 

 an acre in 80 days. Employing, 

 as I do, six men for my work, they 

 would thus accomplish a whole 

 acre in fi ve days ; which, at 2s. a day 

 each mm, would amount to 60s. 

 But only the half portion of the acre 

 is to be dug for one year's crop ; 

 and this will reduce the time to 

 two days and a half, and the expense 

 to 30$. Say, however, that the 

 time and the expense are here underrated, that the time 

 will be three days, and the expense 36s. ; and even 

 then, in point of economy and expedition, the ploughing 

 and the trenching will just be on a par ! 



I come now to my fresh balance-sheet ; only pre- 

 mising, in reference to one of its details, that I have no 

 peculiar advantage over others, beyond, what is not 

 very peculiar in these days, the use of a machine for 

 threshing. 



A WORD IN SEASON 

 in reply to "Amicus Tull" 

 My own experience of the permanent L^ 

 given to land from trench ploughing is LT^F* 

 I have seen such striking instances o?£ t - ^^ 

 attributable to the uncommon depth th -S**?** 



been broken up, that I am prepared'to co i^J? *• 

 supporting Mr. Smith's statements, ^ecialh^ i*** 



to vegefc 

 his figuie 

 ilidate th. 

 iching k 



r e, accor 



^ Wfl V 1 1 * a 



charges on the land may be taken to be L w^^T 

 increased 5s. to 9s. an acre. "Amicus Tull" haseviSX 

 had a singular soil to deepen, and his expen&tnlS: 

 been far greater than would be generally called for bnt? 



i statements, especiaSv *. •. . 



assistance that deep cultivation affords to ve J£ £> 

 place of manure ; and with respect to hie fiJ? ut **» 

 nothing in all « Amicus Tull » says to invalid ' * 

 may be true that the first cost of trenc ? n l J? k 

 feet deep will be from K to 01 an acre Sco^ 1 

 the obstacles in the soil ; and in this wav tha™ * 



cost of the after trenchings must not be charged at the 

 puts the cost of double digging at 80s. per twol^ 



an a,ere. which is nea.rlv (\il nm« vnA . u..i. _ .. . * 



of the first. Mr. Smith, in giving his annual exin»uft 



*•• 



'■• 



» • * 



• » f 



■ ■ 



• . • 



■ t 



• fl • 



• * • 



• • • 



One double diggincr in autumn 



Three stirrings with scarifier at spring, is. 



One ditto with scarifier and harrow implement 



before sowing 



Two pecks of seed, at 5s. per bushel 



Pressing and drilling 



Rough rolling • 



Four hoeings between Wheat with new implement, 6d. 



Bird-keeping . 



All the operations from reaping to marketing, being 

 for reaping two-tilths of an acre, 7s. ; harvesting, 

 4s. ; tain rig in tor threshing and marketing, 5s. ; 

 threshing 34 bushels at 2d. per bushel, 5*. Sd. 



Rates, taxes, and interest 



£ 



1 

 





 

 

 

 

 



s. 



10 

 3 



1 



2 



1 







2 

 2 



d. 

 









 6 

 

 6 

 

 



1 







1 



10 



8 

 



Total outlay 

 34 bunhels of Wheat 

 1 ton 12 cwt. of straw, at 21, 



Total produce 

 Deduct outlay 



• . • 



9 •• 



• • • 





• . • 



• •* 



« ♦ • 



3 



13 



8 



8 10 













3 4 







• • t 









• • • 



11 



14 







• • • 



••' 



3 



13 



8 



Total amount of profit 



• ■ • 



• • • 



...£8 4 



Some may demur to the item of 21. a ton for my 

 straw. It is nothing to say I purchase it myself, as 1 

 do, at that price ; for others may, as they do, procure it 

 for less. I speak of its intrinsic worth, as fodder, litter, 

 and manure to the prudent farmer, who will never part 

 with his straw at all. He has too great a regard for the 

 bulk of his root crops. For myself, I am quite sure I 

 do not reach the just and intrinsic value of good Wheat 

 straw when I place it at 21. a ton. 



Many may think I am wrong about manure. Let 

 them hold their opinion still. What then ? If they do 

 not believe the atmosphere to be a great reservoir, con- 

 taining every organic constituent of plants, as nitrogen 

 and oxygen, carbon and hydrogen ; if they see nothing 

 in my whole year's fallow, and discredit the fact that 

 every shower and every descent of dew brings down 

 these constituents on the soil, which, on my plan, is 

 ever open to receive them, and so deep as to fix and 

 retain them ; if they will forget that this ammonia, and 

 carbon, and aqueous vapour, are still, for another year, 

 finding their way through the well-stirred surface to the 

 roots of the growing plant ; if, moreover, they have no 

 thought for the chemical composition of the subsoil, or 

 of the fact that in most cases it is chemically the same with 

 the staple ; if they cannot conceive that a gradual expo- 

 sure of this subsoil to the solvents of the atmosphere is 

 a gradual gain of mineral manure, or that by increasing 

 depth and constant disintegration, this supply of inor- 

 ganic food is practically inexhaustible ; — if, further, they 

 waive the importance of an equable distribution over 

 all the land of food for my plants ;— a distribution, 

 which in the one case, by the hand of Providence, is 

 perfect, and in the other, by the hand of man, impos- 

 sible ; — why, let them insist on manure for my Wheat. 

 Manure, ye incredulous, by all means. What then ? 

 The success ef the system does not hang upon that. 

 Manure ; and charge for it. An abundant supply for 

 the half acre could be purchased and applied for 20s. 

 Deduct, then, 20s. from the balance-sheet ; and what 

 remains ?— A clear profit still of 61. ; and probably, 7U 

 the acre ! f ' 



Let me sum up, then, the principal advantages of my 

 scheme for growing Wheat. First, while one crop of 

 Wheat is growing, the unsown intervals of the acre are 

 being fallowed and prepared for another. Next, upon 

 this half portion of the acre, tilled as I describe, there is 

 a yield equal to average crops on a whole acre. Then, 

 for the half portion of an acre there is, of course, only 

 half the labour and half the expense of an entire acre 

 required for cultivation ; and, lastly, the hand-labour 

 required finds constant employment for the poor. And 

 if the stout yeoman still objects, that the system from 

 first to last is so much out of his usual course as to be 

 to him impracticable, requiring such unwonted applica- 

 tion of head-work as well as handiwork to carry it out, 

 I bid him look to the results, and ask him, or rather bid 

 him ask himself and his own shrewd sense, Is it not 

 worth while ? The Author of tlce « Word in Season to 

 the Farmer" 





an acre, which is nearly 6d. per rod ; but as theZrf 

 has previously been made friable to this depth I IT 

 sider the labourers using the Norfolk fork can at th 

 rate earn Is. 6d. per day, per acre ; and this view kl 

 once confirmed by what Mr. Mechi is reported to k 

 doing : " He is employing the poor in digging M 

 trenching up with the fork and pickaxe, to the dq 

 about 20 inches, the rocky, iron-bound, and macadamjaj 

 subsoil of his light land, and the price he pays is 8d n* 

 rod," or 61. per acre. ™ 



Mr. Smith's land is a strong loam, or mixture of 4» 

 and gravel, with a considerable quantity of large cku 

 stones underneath. 



With respect to the difficulty of trenching a space 4 

 two feet in five, practically there is none, there feia» t 

 distance of three feet between the adjoining m%<£ 

 Wheat ; and when the whole of the ground has ve. 

 viously been trenched, there will be little inerea* in 

 the height of the soil from the fresh trenching ; and tie 

 six inches, from the rows of Wheat to the two fertrf 

 trenching, is ample space to protect the rows of Whea 

 from all mischief. 



I must leave to Mr. Smith to furnish the details $f 

 his expenditure when called for ; I confess 1 think his 

 estimate too low ; and, for this reason, have added 80s. 

 an acre, in deduction from Mr. Smith's profit; but* Arnicas 

 Tull," on the other side, is evidently too high; he would 

 make the cost of harvesting, threshing, &c, out of all 

 bounds. Taking Mr. Smith's crop last year to have 

 been 33 bushels per acre, and to have realised 40s. per 

 quarter, and his straw to be worth M. per truss, or Ik 

 per ton, I have no doubt that the crop may have brtn 

 grown to pay a profit of 31. an acre. The quality of 

 the Wheat I understood to be superior, and so I shorfd 

 expect it to be. High manuring often causes blight, ill 

 the crop to lodge, and so destroys the quality oftte 

 corn ; but fine tillage is not attended with the sm 

 hazard ; on the contrary, very much diminishes it. Tie 

 last year's crop is stated to be the sixth of Wheat b 

 succession ; the land, therefore, cannot be called fhsh 

 broken up ; on the contrary, it must be looked at « 

 having undergone a most scourging course of cropp^ 



I cannot enter further into detail, and I hayenowi 

 to render a personal inspection of Mr. Smith's practwe 

 unnecessary. On the contrary, I would have a practff 

 I think so well of, closely examined ; and then I expat 

 others would find, as I did, that the doubts that arise m 

 reading a statement so extraordinary, are at «# 

 answered by observation of the practice. I believe * 

 more valuable lesson to the present race of fanners b 



hardly to be found. . 



Since I saw Mr. Smith's land, I have had a veijflW 

 treat in inspecting the farm of Sir John Conroy^" 

 Arborfield, near Reading, where I again find ^rr 

 success in growing extraordinary crops on sm S u ~^ 

 bad land, based upon two-feet trenching. s f^T { 

 time are now wanting to me, to enter into deta "V 

 the skilful direction which is here visible in e ^J^ 

 of the arrangements and management. ^J\T*J5 gHl 

 this paper, is simply to show the advantage ansmg 

 deeply trenching of land. I will, therefore, el 0£ 

 letter, by saying, that I am informed Su* John ; 

 commenced by expending 1600Z. in trenchm. 

 draining 180 acres of his land ; the cost of the tren ^ 

 could not have been less than 51. an acre, proM ^ 

 was more ; but of this I am certain, that * ^ . 

 amount of dressing without the trenching, ij« rf 

 could not have been made to return near t he * ^ 

 produce it now returns ; and the cost of the . 

 must have been paid back again and again by the ^ 

 to its returns it has given in the seven years suit 

 done. . Ahingik 



I am satisfied my friend, Mr. Mechi, in trena * 

 land, is making a permanent improvement, tiu ^ 

 far to change some of his views, especially u ^ ^ 

 the soil completely over ; and I have little oou , 



taken this from what he saw at Sir John toi / ^ 

 hope he will go and see Mr. Smiths F**'^ 

 should give the improved Kentish turn-rise pioug ^ 

 Hewitt Davis, 3, Frederick' s-plaee, Old Jewry, -* 



THE CULTURE OI THE CAKROT.^ ^ 



All deep Turnip soils, of a mecbanicauy ■* ^ 



sandy texture, are adapted for growing a ^ ^ 



crop of Carrots ; thin, light, ^f^Srootebe'fJ 

 or rocky subsoil, are not so suitable, as uie ^^H 

 stringy, and the toil being more adhesive, u ^ ^ 

 harvesting the crop is increased. Howeve , 





























