THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



401 



Fig. 7. 



by a rude yet effective contrivance, as follows : Let a 

 represent the (fig. 7) upper part of coulter bar, b a pin 

 morticed into the upper edge of the plough-beam, and 

 c another behind the coulter. If a stick or rod is placed 

 with one end against the lower side of the pin h 

 twisted so as to go round the upper side of the coulter 

 bar (a), then again twisted to come under the lower side 

 of the pin c ; the coulter bar will thus be maintained 

 jammed up against the right-hand side of the angular 

 mortice in which it plays, and the point of it will con- 

 sequently be thrown or thrust aside to the left. 



The mould- board, as before mentioned, is movable, 

 and in consequence of its being placed alternately on 

 the right and left-hand of the plough, both sides and 

 edges are alike, so that either may be uppermost. This 

 gives to its outline little or none of the convexity which 

 marks the mould-board of the ordinary plough. In 

 point of fact, the mould-board of the Kentish plough, 

 is simply a board narrower at one end than at the other, 

 and its surface slightly rounded. The mould-board is 

 attached at its narrow end by a hook, to the fore-part 

 of the body of the plough near the share, and the 

 hinder part is kept extended upwards and outwards from 

 the body, so as to form the proper angle with the line of 

 the " chep" or sole, by means of a rod which goes into 

 a hole made into the body of the plough. The share 

 entering the ground raises the slice while it is cut from 

 the land-side by the coulter ; the slice is then taken up 

 by the rounded front part of the "chep," and sets it on 

 its edge, it is then passed to the mould-board, which 

 turns it completely over. 



Those of our readers present at the plough trials 

 at Canterbury, noticed perhaps, an old shoe nailed to the 

 beam of one or two of the ploughs, and wondered why 

 it was there. This is used as a pocket in which to keep 

 a supply of nails, in order to adjust the links of the 



draught-chains of the plough. This adjustment being 

 with some ploughs and ploughmen a matter of great 

 nicety, a plough in work is often seen with a very 

 complete garniture of nails in the links of the chain. 



Many improvements have been effected of late times 

 in the construction of the parts of the Kentish plough : 

 and from the use of iron a lightness of construction and 

 an increase of business-like capability have been ob- 

 tained. In the plough exhibited by Messrs. Drury and 

 Bigglestone of Canterbury, the end of the plough beam 

 is connected with the gallows of the wheel-carriage by 

 an efficient screw movement, while the adjustment of 

 the coulter from side to side is effected by a very simple 

 screw and cam motion, which enables the ploughman to 

 make the necessary adjustment while between the stilts. 

 Improvements have also been made in the method of 

 adjusting the mould-boards. Thus'Mr. Eley of Frond- 

 bury, Rochester, Kent, has two mould-boards , one on each 

 side of the plough ; they are hinged or jointed to the 

 body nearest the share, and are connected together 

 at their wider and outer- ends by a rod which passes 

 through an aperture made in the body : while one 

 mould-board is in action, the other is pressed up flat 

 against the body, and vice versa. 



There can be no doubt that the Kentish turn-wrist 

 plough does efficient work, but in view of its heaviness 

 and its difficulty of adjustment, we think it is scarcely en- 

 titled to be ranked as an economical implement, or to 

 be able to stand comparison with the form of plough 

 used generally throughout the kingdom. The Kentish 

 folks are, of course, loud in its praises, and were re- 

 ported to be eager to back it against all comers. But 

 unfortunately, through a mismanagement of which no- 

 body will likely take the blame, the opportunity afforded 

 to put all conflicting claims at rest has been lost. 

 Truly or not, the Society will be blamed either for its 

 over-sight or indifference in connection with the trials, 

 or rather the attempt to institute trials — an attempt 

 which, we need scarcely here again repeat, was a signal 

 failure. ^' 3. B. 



THE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES OF SHROPSHIRE. 



Mr. Meire, much as he agreed in the opinion that the agri- 

 culture of the country had been largely developed by means 

 of local associations — and if he were to select any local asso- 

 ciatiou in which special excellences had been fully sustained, 

 it would be this at Bridgnorth — had, after much careful 

 consideration, arrived at the conclusion that the local associa- 

 tions of Shropshire had not developed the agriculture of the 

 county to its proper position. He had lately been in Staf- 

 fordshire and the adjoining counties, having been selected as 

 one of the judges at the Burton-upon-Tient Agricultural 

 Association, and he had there seen very strikingly exemplified 

 the effect of an itinerant movement iu reference to agricultural 

 societies. He had before seen the effect of the Lichfield 

 Society when it was stationary, and contrasting that effect 

 with the effect produced by its becoming an itinerant society, 

 he was very anxious to see the Bridgnorth Association take a 

 similar coui se, and become the nucleus of a great Shropshire 



association, and to show to the world that— although the 

 county society had, from want of ability in its committee, 

 being marked only by disgrace— there was spirit and practical 

 energy enough in Shropshire farmers to stand second to none. 

 The local Lichfield Society was a failure, the great object of 

 competition being on a restricted basis ; but now that it had 

 become itinerant and extended its operations over a wider 

 sphere, it had, he believed, laid the foundation of a great and 

 useful institution. At the recent meetings at Burton-upon- 

 Trent the show-yard was visited by 7.000 persons, while 500 

 English yeomen and aristocracy, with 200 fair women, attended 

 the dinner. The great object of an agricultural society was 

 to produce competition on an extended basis. At Bridgnorth 

 he had, from year to year, seen Mr. Jasper contend with Mr. 

 Wilson, and the latter's nephew with Mr. Smith, and the 

 only question was which of them was to obtain the prizes for 

 sheep iu their respective classes. But that principle, he held. 



