SECRETARY'S REPORT. 53 



ploughs of the present day are, as a general thing, heavier than 

 our own, but they move with steadiness and perform good work. 



One of the most important properties of the plough is that of 

 moving steadily through the soil, while it requires but little 

 muscular action on the part of the ploughman ; and these ob- 

 jects have been attained in many of the modern ploughs, both 

 of English and American construction, but not without great 

 difficulty, much study and practical experiment. With the 

 most perfect construction much must, of course, depend on the 

 mode of attaching the power, tlie length of the chain, &c. 



TJie following judicious remarks on the draught of the 

 plough, together with the cut to which ^hey refer, from the il- 

 lustrated catalogue of the enterprising firm of Ruggles, Nourse, 

 Mason & Co., will give an idea^of the care needed in adjusting 

 the power : — 



" From the complicated structure of the plough, and the manner in 

 which circumstances oblige us to apply the draught to the implement, 

 some misconceptions have arisen as to the true operation of the 

 draught, and the proper manner of its application. Too little is 

 understood of the true principles of draught, to enable the plough- 

 man to attach his team and arrange the clevis so that the plough will 

 do its work properly, and with the least force or power. To render 

 this subject intelligible to every mind, the following remarks are made 

 in connection with the plate annexed : — 



" Let b represent the forward end of the beam, and c the centre of 

 resistance on the plough, which may be assumed at two inches above 

 the plane of the base of the plough, d e, though it is liable to con- 

 stant changes, from the depth of the furrows, and constant inequali- 

 ties in the soil. 



" We have first to consider the particular form of those parts through 

 which the motive power is brought to bear upon the plough. It is 

 evident that the motive force acts in a direct line from the hook or 

 ring at the shoulder of the animal, to the centre of resistance, and 

 were it not for considerations of convenience, a straight bar or beam 

 lying in the direction c h, and attached firmly to the body at c, would 

 answer all the purposes of draught perhaps better than the present 

 beam. But the draught not being the end in view, but merely the 

 means by which the end is accomplished, the former is made to sub- 

 serve the latter ; and as the beam, if placed in the direct line c to h, 

 would obstruct the proper working of the plough, we are constrained 



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