The chief inspiration of
his system came from a visit paid to south of France, where he
observed "near Frontignan and Setts, Languedoc" that the vineyards
were carefully plowed and tilled in order to produce the largest
crops of the best grapes. Upon the basis of this observation he
instituted experiments upon his own farm and finally developed his
system, which may be summarized as follows: The amount of seed to be
used should be proportional to the condition of the land, especially
to the moisture that is in it. To make the germination certain, the
seed should be sown by drill methods. Tull, as has already been
observed, was the inventor of the seed drill which is now a feature
of all modern agriculture. Plowing should be done deeply and
frequently; two plowings for one crop would do no injury and
frequently would result in an increased yield. Finally, as the most
important principle of the system, the soil should be cultivated
continually, the argument being that by continuous cultivation the
fertility of the soil would be increased, the water would be
conserved, and as the soil became more fertile less water would be
used.
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