Experiences up to the end of October, 1904. 155 



ploughed and worked. The deep-rooters can penetrate the hardest 

 pans. Weeds are absolutely extinguished, and for the last eleven 

 years there have been none worth removing. No risk of clover 

 failure, though there has been much failure on adjacent farms. No 

 turnip disease, though there has been much in certain seasons, with 

 the exception of one small portion of the land, and that only occurred 

 once. No manure required except some artificials with turnips when 

 first turf is ploughed. As far as we can see at present, none is needed 

 when second turf is ploughed, as the land is then fully charged with 

 deeply-rooted decaying turf. Products of all crops certain, either in 

 very dry or very wet seasons. More stock can be kept at same cost. 

 They can be kept in much better health owing to the properties of 

 some of the plants used. Less capital is required for working the 

 farm. As the deep roots decay the land is permeated to its greatest 

 depth (chicory will go down from 3 ft. to 4 ft. in fifteen months, 

 and 1 ft. 6 ins. in three months) with vegetable matter. The land 

 can thus be deeply aerated, and more moisture carried into it to the 

 advantage of the land in droughts. In dry weather the land cools 

 sooner, and more dew will be precipitated. By the steady increase 

 of humus, and the deepening and tilling of the soil by roots, the 

 fertility of the land can be continuously improved without additional 

 ■expense.' Manurial matter which has sunk low in the soil can be 

 retrieved by the deep-rooters. Land well supplied with humus 

 retains manure heat which would otherwise be lost. Tough, clayey, 

 and unworkable soils, which readily run together, can be ameliorated 

 by the system, and completely altered in character. Finally, roots, 

 by virtue of the acids in them, can utilise portions of the mineral 

 matters locked up in stones. I have now given twenty-five distinct 

 advantages which will certainly be obtained from the adoption of my 

 system. I may add that owing to the want of the means of duly 

 keeping up a good supply of humus in the land the soils of Great 

 Britain are, to a very large extent, in deplorably bad physical 

 condition, and this has been much worsened by liming and the 

 injudicious use of artificial manures. 



The Downward Penetration of Chicory and Burnet Roots. — In 

 consequence of the Kale having washed away part of the bank 

 of a field on the Morebattle Tofts farm, we have this year easily 

 perceived the value of these plants in opening up hard pans, and 

 acting at once as drainers, aerators, and tillers of the soil. The 

 seed of the plants I am about more particularly to allude to was 

 sown in 1897, the land was hayed the year following, and grazed 

 for three years afterwards, when the field was ploughed up. A 

 strip on the margin of the river was left, and in it were chicory 

 and burnet plants. Two of the former were carefully taken up. 

 The chicory was in flower, and the plant was 5 feet 2 inches above 

 ground, while the root measured 4 feet- 5 inches. The root for 

 about a foot from the surface was much crooked, but afterwards 

 went straight down through a very hard clay pan about 9 inches 



