Double Furrow ploughing - South Scotland
Photograph courtesy of David Foot, Surrey.
Richard Chard Assistant Conservator South Scotland (under John Davies in the early 70s) with two other people looking at the results of some deep wide double furrow ploughing, possibly at Newcastleton Forest.
This is extreme ploughing in peaty conditions on the maxim that deep cultivation with plough tine penetrating through into the mineral soil would improve the availability of nutrients, drainage and give greater stability to the trees.
The main problem was the very wide distance across the trench to the planting furrows on either side (up to 3 metres) coupled with the narrow distance across the platform, around 1 metre as average of 2 x 2 metre average distance was severely compromised. The end result was very asymmetric planting positions and at a later point other plough heads were developed (D60/-/t) which reduced the depth of the trench and spaced the furrows which allowed planting very much closer to the 2m x 2m norm.
Can anyone name the two people facing away from the camera and confirm if this is Newcastleton Forest?
Groups: Forestry Areas, Forestry in Action, Groups of people, Tractors Ploughs and Drainage Machines