On Subsoil- Ploughing. 



33 



altogether at an average of 4 feet : into these drains were brought 

 the smaller ones, laid with tiles of the width and height of Scinches, 

 placed at every 12 yards apart, and of the same average depth as 

 the others. I consider it prudent to have in every 5 acres one 

 leading drain with an outlet into the main open one : the mouths 

 of the outlets should be of kyanised wood, with a swing-door, for 

 the sake of preventing the possibility of the outlet being trodden 

 up or destroyed by frost acting upon the tiles. 



" The expence of the main open drain depends upon so many 

 circumstances that no accurate estimate can be given. 



An acre of the tiled drainage, laid out as above, will cost — 



£. s. d. 



Cutting and putting in tiles . . . 1116 

 Large and small tiles . . . .228 



3 14 2 



Leading do. from the kiln . . ,046 



£3 18 8 



" The above particulars have been given somewhat at length, 

 from the conviction of the great importance of effectual drainage ; 

 and that without it subsoil-ploughing will do more harm than 

 good. 



The first process after the drains were complete was in the 

 months of March and April to pare and burn ; and to sow 

 rape and turnips, drilled with half-inch bones and soot in the 

 following month. The crop was not at all regular ; being good 

 where the soil was deep and black, but very bad where it was 

 sandy : the sole being hard and the action of the sun having great 

 power to the very roots of the plants. 



" In the winter of the same year, after the turnips and rape were 

 consumed, I ploughed the land in the direction of the old fur- 

 rows, and the subsoil-plough folloived, worked by two oxen and 

 four horses ; loosening the hard sandy sole on the higher ground, 

 and tearing up the roots of the rushes, &c., on the low. In this 

 state the land lay till the month of April following, when Finlay- 

 son's drag-harrow was applied across the ploughings, which 

 brought up all the roots and rubbish to the surface ; these were 

 then raked off and burnt. I then sowed the black Tartarian oats, 

 and ploughed them in : the ground was then harrowed and pressed 

 down with a clod-crushing roller, made by Mr. Croskill, of 

 Beverley, which implement has been of the greatest service to me 

 in almost every stage and crop. It has been the means of con- 

 solidating the earth, which would otherwise have been too light, 

 and it has kept the moisture in also. It has a decided advantage 



VOL. TI. D 



