224 Methods of Ploughing. 



on-Bowmont, that considerable changes in our system of cropping 

 and seeding -wotild be of immense advantage on most of the land 

 in the south of Scotland at present starved for the want of better 

 grasses, clover sick, and crop sick for the want of change. 

 Everything must change, and, however well our old rotations have 

 worked in the past under diEEerent conditions, I thoroughly agree 

 with you that the time has come when new methods must be 

 adopted. Science teaches us how to maintain the fertility of the 

 soil, not by artificial manuring, but from Nature's own laboratory, 

 free nitrogen from the air by the aid of deep-rooted plants and 

 clovers. Let us take the best means, and every means to assist 

 nature, and in the end she wiU prove no niggard in her gifts. I 

 have not attempted to cover half the groimd I might do in giving 

 my experience of farming and crop growing by different methods. 

 If you have any further enquiries to make in reference to the 

 same I will only be too pleased to give you my experience. 

 " I remain, yours respectfully, 



" (Signed) W. R. Mueeay." 

 Charterhouse, Kelso, N.B. 

 28th October, 1907. 



Our system at Cltfton-on-Bowmont is to plough the field first 

 of all in the ordinary way, and afterwards to plough it diagonally. 

 The field is afterwards harrowed, and the turf is then found to be 

 divided into such small pieces that there is no difficulty in pre- 

 paring the land for tui-nips. Mr. Murray's system is not suited 

 to our Olifton-on-Bowmont farm, the soil of which is of uneven 

 depth.— R. H. E. 



