Advantage of Subsoil Ploughing. 
419 
greater part of the land wanting draining, in this county, is rather 
steep, springs of water issuing out of the sides of the hills even 
to the tops ; consequently, the system of cutting the drains in the 
direction of the fall is not applicable in these cases, but the drains 
must be cut in a lateral direction, so as to tap or to take the line 
of springs, with upright or main drains to carry off the water. 
Having thoroughly drained it during the winter, early in the fol- 
lowing spring I pared it thin and burnt it, of course grubbing up 
the brambles and furze. I then put about 100 bushels of lime to 
an acre, and spread it with the ashes, ploughing all down as thinly 
as possible in the beginning of June, and sowing Swedish turnips, 
which was an excellent crop, and which I drew off for fattening 
beasts in the yard. In the month of February, 1841, I subsoil- 
ploughed it, and in April planted mangold wurtzel with about 
15 tons of farm -yard manure to an acre, from which I took in 
November upwards of 30 tons of mangold wurtzel an acre ; then 
ploughed it ; and in March, as I wanted this field for permanent 
pasture, sowed 3 pecks of rye grass, 6 lbs. of red, and 3 lbs. of 
white clover to an acre, with a bushel of spring tares, and I have 
had an abundance of grass ever since that time, mowing upwards 
of two tons of hay per acre, the only manure used since being 
40 bushels of soot an acre. At present it is looking as luxuriant 
as any thing can be — except about a quarter of an acre, ivhich was 
not subsoiled, and which is not half as productive as the other parts 
of the field. 
The remainder of the land I have managed much in the same 
way, except sowing on some parts common turnips, feeding off 
part with sheep, and sowing wheat, from which I have reaped, 
where subsoiled, abundant crops ; and in no instance has the clover 
faded, or have I been disappointed in my expectations. 
These 40 acres of land, before I began my operations, were valued 
at only 10s. per acre : at present it is worth more than 30s., and 
the crops have well paid for the rent, taxes, manure, and labour. 
I should also observe that, in my opinion, all land of the above 
description that has not been ploughed for many years, and that 
is to be leclaimed, ought, as soon as it has been drained, to be 
pared, burnt, and limed, whereby a crop of turnips is insured, an 
immediate return made, and the land permanently improved. It 
is also necessary that lands whereon furze, brambles, &c., were 
growing, should be kept in tillage for four or five years, so as 
completely to destroy them; and I know of no better succession of 
crops, than— 1st, turnips; 2nd, mangold wurtzel; 3rd, wheal; 
4th, tares, fed with sheep, and followed by turnips ; then barley 
or oats, with grass seeds. On one field I put 50 bushels of soot 
an acre instead of dung, and had a good crop of mangold ; and for 
the turnips, after wheat I generally drill 20 busliels of bones 
VOL. V. 2 F 
