116 
Autumn Cleaning of Stubbles. 
The crop of turnips was best on that portion which was 
ploughed three times, but this superiority might be attributed 
to earlier sowing and to the manure, which was dung and 
artificial ; the other pieces receiving artificial alone. On the 
former there were about 20 tons, on the latter 15 tons. The land 
was decidedly in the best order where it was scarified and after- 
wards furrowed up. That which was scarified and ploughed 
plain was in worse condition than that which was merely ridged 
up. It must be stated tliat the spring was wet, and we were 
unable to work the land properly on the stetches without 
" poaching," whereas the horses walking abreast in the furrows 
between the ridges was not injurious to the soil. Tiiis is a 
great advantage of the ridge system on stiff soil. Some farmers 
in Suffolk prefer narrow stetches adapted to the size of the drill, 
complaining that the ridges are often dry and cloddy in their 
arid climate, but we have never found them open to this objec- 
tion, provided the ridges are ploughed down and the turnips 
drilled on the flat. From its numerous advantages we believe 
the Essex ridge-system is gaining ground. 
The successful practice of the Messrs. Outhwaite, in the North 
Riding of Yorkshire, as described by Mr. Caird, may be taken as 
a type of the system followed on the strong turnip soils of the 
North and Midland counties of England. " The great aim in 
the culture of the farm is the e.arly preparation of the land in- 
tended for the turnip crop ; to this all other work is postponed 
after the corn crops have been secured in autumn. The stubbles 
are then stirred in one direction by Biddle's scarifier, the sharp 
pointed tines being used in this operation, and the ground torn 
up to the depth of 5 or 6 inches. After the field has been gone 
over once, the scarifier is fitted with the broadshare tines, and 
made to cross the former, stirring at right angles, thus tearing the 
ground to pieces, and disengaging the stubble and roots of weeds 
and couch, which are drawn together on the surface by the 
harrows, then gathered by the horse-rake, and laid in a heap to 
be carried home for littering the cattle yards. The land, now 
thoroughly pulverised, is ploughed with a clean deep furrow, 
and in that state is left exposed to the influence of the weather 
till spring, when it receives one furrow more, and is found in fine 
condition for vegetating the seed of the turnip crop. The swedes 
are sown on the ridge 28 to 30 inches apart." The expense of 
this system is similar to that of which we have given an out- 
line. 
On a stiffer clay than that of which we have been speaking, 
and in a moist climate, we deem the Northumberland system 
best adapted, viz. one deep ploughing in autumn, and the ground 
