A control system for controlling the down pressure applied to a soil-engagingcomponent of an agricultural implement includes a down pressure actuatorcoupled to thesoil-engaging component, and an energy storage device and a piston-containingcylinder arecoupled to each other by a system containing pressurized fluid. A check valveis coupledbetween the energy storage device and the down pressure actuator to controlthe flow of thepressurized fluid from the energy storage device to the cylinder. Acontrollable relief valveand variable orifice are coupled between the down pressure actuator and theenergy storagedevice to control the flow of the pressurized fluid from the cylinder to theenergy storagedevice. A controller supplies control signals to the relief valve and variableorifice to controlthe flow of the pressurized fluid from the cylinder to the energy storagedevice based on thepressure of the pressurized fluid.
