32 Remarks or the Stafford IVljeel-P lough. Feb, 



FvOR THE Farmer's magazine. 



Re?narks on the Stafford wheel plough, described in Mr Pittas 

 letter to Sir jfoh;i Sinclair, Bart. By Mr Alex. Trotter, 

 overseer at Thurso east. 



1. That all wheel ploughs are heavier to work than fwing 

 ploughs, is obvious tVom tlie following confide rations. The 

 wheels are of no ufe unlefs the plough lias a certain proportion 

 of more hold given either by the beam, the lliare, or the inie of 

 direction, which, when addeJ to the friction of the wheels, necef- 

 farily cncreafes the weiglu of the draught; or, which is the fame 

 thiiig, renders the implement ufed kfs capable of performing the 

 intended operation. It is plain that wheel ploughs mud be fo 

 Conilrucl:ed as to prefs upon the axis of the wheels ; confe- 

 quently, tliat the head and Ihare cannot run in a horizontal di- 

 rection with the bottom of the furrow, but, by forming a 

 fmail angle, caufes the plough to go upon the point of the irons 

 with a heel vaifed an inch or two from the ground. Every 

 plough, whofe cutting point is not in a line with the (lice taken 

 of, mult have one power working againft another; for inftance, 

 when the fwing plough has more hold than neceflary, the 

 ploughman mull prefs, with all his force, upon the (lilts, to 

 counteraft it, which anfwers the fame purpofe as is accomplifh- 

 ed by wheels. Now, a good ploughman rarely preiTes upon 

 the Itilts ; therefore, every implement that requires fuch pref- 

 furc, or which is the fame thing, requires a fupport at the 

 other extremity, is more or lefs defedive^ confequently gives a 

 proportional increafe of draught to the horfes employed to 

 v\'ork it. 



2. The advantages of wheel ploughs are, that when ufed 

 upon irregular grou!id, or in crols ploughing i8 or 20 feet rid- 

 ges, two or tiiree times gathered up ; you may by placing the 

 wheels immediately before the Ihare, go nearly at an equal 

 deepnefs, at lead more fo than can be accompli llied with a fwing 

 plof.gh : if the wheels Hand at the pomt of the beam, it is im- 

 poilible to make good work, for they will be over the crown 

 of the ridge before it is touches by the ihare, and going up the 

 other fide when the operative powers are coming down upon 

 the furrow } which, at all events mufl occafion bad work. In 

 paring fward for burning, wheel ploughs will execute the 

 work to better purpofe, than fwing ploughs. This is incon- 

 trovertible. 



3. As for the double furrowed plough, unlefs fuch are ufed 

 en a level dry field, 1 cannot difcern a fingle beneficial confe- 



queacc 



