246 Experiments in Subsoil-Ploughing and Potatoe-Planting. 



whereby the nourishment to the plant is augmented; the root 

 takes a deeper hold ; and a more genial temperature is equally 

 maintained below the surface throughout the year. If I mistake 

 not^ it will be found that sandy loams^, no less than stiff clays, 

 profit by this system of subsoil-ploughing ; and that on dry land^ 

 no less than on wet, where sterility is the consequence of a hard, 

 hide-bound, hungry subsoil, Mr. Smith's treatment is correct, 

 which breaks the crust without bringing it to the surface^ until in 

 tim.e it has been mellowed by the natural effects of atmosphere 

 and rain. 



In my former letter I mentioned a field of 20 acres of dry land, 

 half of which I had ordered to be trench-ploughed to the 

 depth of 14 inches, the other half to be stirred with Mr. Smith's 

 plough. This has been done ; the whole field was equally ma- 

 nured with bone-dust, and sown with white globe-turnips. The 

 crop, though a late one, is tolerably promising ; but not yet having 

 pulled any portion of the turnips, which still are growing, I must 

 postpone the detailed statement of the comparative weight of the 

 crop with reference to the different treatment of the subsoil. I 

 may say, however, that the turnips are best on the worst part of 

 the field, where Mr. Smith's plough was used. 



I wish to avail myself of this opportunity of stating a fact re- 

 garding seed potatoes, which came under my observation on my 

 own farm this year. I planted the potatoes in a field which had 

 been tile- drained, but not subsoiled ; and, the drains acting im- 

 perfectly in this very wet season, the land was by no means dry, 

 and the crop of potatoes failed in one portion of the field, but not 

 in another. I made strict inquiries to obtain an explanation of 

 this failure, which appeared capricious; and I found that, where 

 the stitches had failed, the seed-potatoes had been sliced, or cut 

 into sets for planting : where the crop was good, the seed-potatoes 

 had been planted whole. It so happened that these whole po- 

 tatoes were small, and considered almost refuse, therefore not cut 

 into sets, but planted entire : they produced an excellent crop, 

 above an average, even on wet land in a wet season ; while, in 

 the same field, and on land of the same quality, superior seed- 

 potatoes, cut into sets, yielded a very inferior amount of produce. 

 My own observation is confirmed by the experience of one of 

 my tenants, who last spring planted, in equidistant stitches in the 

 same fx eld, potatoes cut into three sets, at intervals of 3 inches, 

 and whole potatoes at intervals of 20 inches. The bulk of po- 

 tatoes raised from the seed which had not been cut greatly ex- 

 ceeded the bulk raised from the seed which had been cut ; and 

 the tenant assures me that whole potatoes may safely be planted 

 at 2 feet apart, the interval of 20 inches not having been suffi- 

 cient ; whereby the difference of the quantity used for seed will 



