38 
every inch deeper we stir the soil 200 tons of earth per acre, which, 
by being broken up become more easily penetrated by the rootlets of 
the plants in search of food. The soil at the same time is more thor- 
oughly acted upon by air, warmth, and water, and reduced by their 
combined agencies during the process of weathering is rendered more 
healthy, more mellow, and quicker as a feeding ground for the plant. 
A deeper subsoiling has, besides, the advantage, which should not be 
overlooked, especially in a hot and dry climate, of promoting the 
growth of the roots well below the surface, and thus lessening the 
effects of drought. 
In first ploughing or subsoiling in heavy and retentive soil, the 
furrow should always be in the direction of the fall of water, which 
might otherwise lodge in the subsoiler’s tracks, and rot the roots of 
the plants in wet seasons. 
Although heavy soils are those: most benefited by ‘thorough 
tillage, it is generally advisable, and experience has demonstrated 
that even in loose and shifting sands, a deep stirring is always accom- 
panied by a corresponding vigour and increase of yield. 
In most cases surface ploughing with deep subsoiling wherever 
practicable, should be recommended. 
The most economical and the best plan of ploughing this class 
of land is to turn with an ordinary plough, worked by two or four 
powerful horses, according to the class of land, a furrow seven to 
eight inches deep, and follow up with a strong plough with the 
mould board detached, or a subsoil plough, drawn by a team of 
three to four horses. 
The work can to a great extent be made lighter for the team 
in setting the plough so as to turn a narrower furrow, but the soil 
should be broken up as deeply as possible. 
In some instances, deep subsoiling or trenching may be un- 
necessary, or not to be recommended, such as, when the surface 
soil consists of a very thin layer overlaying a substratum of loose 
and rubbly stones. In that case, the naturally brashy character of 
the subsoil, hy permitting the roots to penetrate it, renders deep 
tillage either unnecessary or even unadvisable. 
Under colder climates, when the soil does not receive much 
warmth from the sun—and this does not concern the Australian 
grower—the soil is stirred as little as possible. It is the custom 
there to plant thickly, so as to dwarf the vine and favour the growth 
of superficial roots, which will benefit by the full amount of heat 
from the sun’s rays, while the grapes will be richer in sugar and the 
wine of a better quality. In Champagne and Burgundy, for in- 
stance, the soil prior to planting is only ploughed about 10 inches, 
as against 18 to 20 inehes in the South of France and in Algeria. 
In Australia a thorough stirring of the soil to the depth of 14 
to 16 inches, according to localities and to soils, would certainly not 
