On a Method of hreahinfj uj) inferior Pasture Land. 
55 
plough, which left the furrows open, or at least free from turf, 
ready for draining, which operation I performed three feet deep 
and 27 feet between the drains, at a cost of 705. per acre, includ- 
ing tiles. r th(^i dug a trench across the ridge four feet wide, 
throwing the first graft of good soil on one side ; I afterwards 
threw the subsoil from the ridge part of the land into the furrows, 
making the lands almost level. I then laid the turf (with a fork) 
bottom upwards upon the subsoil, which had been stirred, and 
commenced digging a fresh trench, the upper graft of which I 
placed upon the turf, so that the turf was deposited about nine or 
ten inches under the surface and between the two grafts of soil. 
I allowed the field to remain two years, only working the sur- 
face, and grew two crops of wheat from the maiden soil. In the 
third year I ploughed it very deep, and the turf came up a beau- 
tiful rich black vegetable mould, in a fine state to produce two 
more crops of wheat, making four crops of wheat in succession 
from a piece of land not worth more than 255. per acre in its 
original state. The whole cost was after the rate of seven pounds 
ten shillings per acre ; viz. 70s. per acre for draining and 80s. per 
acre for double digging. I was thus enabled, independent of 
other advantages, to give employment to 40 labourers for nearly 
two months in the dead of winter. 
In the first year I sowed Red Cluster Wheat, broad-cast, the 
last week in February, at the rate of three bushels per acre. Of 
course, after double-digging the land was very hollow (not having 
at that time that most valuable implement, Croskill's roller). I 
had it trod with 24 horses for several days, until it became firm 
as a road. The produce at harvest was 42 bushels per acre, 
which I sold at 7s. per bushel, making 14 guineas per acre of 
the first crop. The second year it produced 50 bushels per 
acre from 2J bushels of seed drilled eight inches apart; the third 
year 48 bushels from 2J of seed ; and it is now planted for the 
fourth year with wheat, the only manure applied being 2^ cwt. 
of Peruvian guano per acre. The crop promises to be very good. 
I attribute my success to having buried the turf a sufficient 
depth, so as not to interfere with the grain until properly decom- 
posed, and also to my having had the surface made firm by great 
pressure, which I think prevented wire-worm and destroyed other 
insects. 
Little Comberton, Pershore, May 30, 1848. 
