The Rackheath Subsoil-Plough. 



255 



amendment could have arisen solely from the deep ploughing. 

 Manure I had scarcely any, the land not producing then stover 

 sufficient to keep any stock worth mentioning, and it was not 

 possible to procure sufficient quantity from the town. The plough 

 tore up by the roots all the old gorse, heather, and fern, so that 

 the land lost all the distinctive character of heath land the first 

 year after the deep ploughing, which it had retained, notwith- 

 standing the ploughing with the common ploughs, for 35 years. 

 Immediately after this subsoil-ploughing the crop of wheat was 

 strong and long in the straw, and the grain close-bosomed and 

 heavy, weighing full 64 lbs. to the bushel. The quantity, as 

 might be expected, not large (about 26 bushels to the acre), but 

 great in comparison to what it produced before. The millers 

 were desirous of purchasing it, and could scarcely believe it was 

 grown upon the heath land, as in former years my bailiff could 

 with difficulty get a miller to look at his sample. Let this be 

 borne in mind, that this land then had had no manure for years^ 

 was run out, and could only have been meliorated by the admis- 

 sion of air and moisture, by the deep ploughing. This year the 

 wheat on this land has looked most promising ; the ears large 

 and heavy, the straw long; and I expect the produce will be 

 from 34 to 36 bushels an acre: the wheats the golden drop." 

 My Swedish turnips on this land this year are very good ; my 

 pudding and sugar-loaf turnips failing in many parts, sharing the 

 fate of those of my neighbours,, having been greatly injured by 

 the torrents of rain which fell after they had shown themselves 

 above the ground. Turnips must have a deep and well-pul- 

 verised soil, in order to enable them to swell, and the tap-roots 

 to penetrate in search of food. The tap-root of a Swedish turnip 

 has been known to penetrate 39 inches into the ground. I will 

 not detain my readers much longer, and will only add two or 

 three general observations. 



1st. The work done by the plough far exceeds trenching with 

 the spade, as the plough only breaks and loosens the land all 

 around without turning the subsoil to the top, which in some 

 cases (where the subsoil is bad) would be injurious to the early 

 and tender plant ; and if the subsoil is good;, it would be rendered 

 more fit for vegetation after the air and moisture had been per- 

 mitted to enter. The ploughing is also far preferable to trench- 

 ing by the spade even for planting, as it may be done at one- 

 fourth the expence. 



2ndly. It were very preferable, if possible, to work the horses 

 abreast, pair and pair ; but, in using this plough, the horses must 

 work in a line, for if abreast, the horse on the land ploughed 

 would soon be fatigued by sinking up to his hocks : and, to render 

 the di'aught more easy, the second horse from the plough should 



