On Siibsoil-PloiKjhing. 



35 



impossible to use the subsoil-plough with four horses, but by 

 fixing- a wheel to it (which made it work much steadier), and using 

 six horses, we got on tolerably well : though it was very hard work 

 for both horses and man. Immediately after subsoiling I sowed 

 oats with Sinclair's grass-seeds. I had a full crop of oats, so 

 heavy, indeed, that they were all flat on the ground, and not ripe 

 till November : the seeds have been hard stocked all this year 

 with sheep and young horses, which, as you know, are the worst 

 of all stock for year-old seeds ; but the herbage is good, and the 

 land quite firm under you. Before subsoiling, the land was not 

 worth 5.9. an acre : it is now let at a guinea." 



In this case the advantages of subsoiling were great and imme- 

 diate, and evidently arose from the drainage effected by breaking 

 up the pan, which was impervious to water ; whilst the rubble 

 below was highly porous, and afforded a ready passage to the 

 stagnant water, which caused the previous sterility. I was there- 

 fore anxious to have an analysis of the pan and rubble below, in 

 the hope of discovering some marked difference in their composi- 

 tion, which would account for the hardness of the pan. On ana- 

 lysis, they proved so very nearly identical in their nature that I 

 could not help suspecting some inaccuracy in the operation. To 

 prevent all doubt on the subject, Mr. Spence furnished me with 

 a second analysis of both, made with great care; and I subjoin 

 the average result, which makes it very clear that the pan is only 

 hardened rubble ; how^ it became so hardened remains a problem 

 for future solution. 



Moor-pan. Average. 



Specific gravity- .... 2*204 



Water of absorption ... 5j- 



SiHca . . . . . 75 



Alumina . . . . . IOt 



Oxide of iron .... 6f 

 Soluble matter, consisting of sulphate lime and chloride 



sodium .... \ 



Loss . . . . , If 



100 



Rublile below the Piin. Average. 



Specific gravity . - . . . 2 '2505 



Water of absorption ... . . 5 



Sihca ..... 77i 



Alumina ... . . Sf 



Oxide of iron .... 6i 

 Soluble matter, consisting of siilpliate lime and chloride 



sodium ..... 7 



Loss ..... 2 



100 



