512 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



breadth of ground is cleaned and prepared within the 

 critical time between the periods of bad weather. 

 After a little experience, no doubt, the farmers be- 

 coming independent with the new power, will follow 

 Mr. Smith's example, and sell off a portion of their 

 teams. 



As far as ploughing is concerned, we last week gave 

 the famous result of the Stirling trial of Mr. Fowler's 

 machinery — every way satisfactory both as to the great 

 quantity of land turned over, the economy of the ope- 

 rations, and the admirable character of the work, both 



in common ploughing and deep trenching. On a 

 future occasion we shall have still more to say respect- 

 ing the great point which has been now gained, and 

 the ample and reliable data as to power required and 

 expenses involved, which we are now in possession of. 

 We would also intimate that the rotary cultivator has 

 now come before the public in an effective shape, and, 

 thanks to Mr. Crosskill as well as to Mr. Fowler and 

 other able machinists, our readers may prepare for 

 steam-power tillage on an extensive scale, and at a pe- 

 riod no longer " looming in the distance." 



THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE MODERN PLOUGH. 



At the conclusion of our second article of the present 

 series we proposed to examine the construction of a 

 plough which, without ignoring the acknowledged merits 

 of implements of other makers, might be taken as a 

 type of the modern implement. 



The various parts of the plough which we have se- 

 lected for description may be described under the 

 heads — the beam and its fixings, the body, the mould- 

 board, and the share. Genei-ally, the plough may be 

 described as having the beam and the stilts or handles of 

 wrought-iron, forged in one piece, to which is secured, 

 near the miadle of their length, a cast-irou body, carry- 

 ing the sock, or share, and the mouldboard, or turnfur- 

 row, these being preceded by the coulter, attached in a 

 peculiar manner (hereafter to be described) to the beam; 

 and betvveen the head, or bridle, a skim-coulter, or 

 miniature-plough, is suspended from the beam. The 

 beam further carx-ies two wheels in advance of the 

 skim-coulter : one the land- wheel, 13 inches in diame- 

 ter, and the other the furrow-wheel, a few inches in 

 advance of the land-wheel, and the diameter of which 

 is 21 inches. To the extremity of the beam, the bridle 

 or head is attached, which supports the draught- chain, 

 or rod. 



The extreme length of the beam (including in this 

 the beam proper, and the stilts or handles) is 10 feet 

 9i inches. The handles widen out from the beam at 

 equal angles, and are strengthened by three straight 

 and one curved stays ; the extremity of each is pro- 

 vided with a wooden handle. The body of the plough, 

 or "frame," if cast-iron, is made with a check or re- 

 cess to receive the beam, to which it is attached by 

 three bolts. The length at bottom of tlie body (where 

 it rests on the sole, or slade) is 25 inches; the length of 

 the sole (which is secured to the body by two bolts) 

 being 31 inches, or six inches longer thau the frame. 

 The forwai'd extremity («) or head of the body is twisted 

 or curved, to correspond with and receive the curved part 

 of the mould board which rests upon it. This forward 

 extremity of the body (a) is not solid, but is hollowed 

 on its lower side, to receive the wrought-iron bar, or 

 rod, called the "lever neck" (&), which supports the 

 sock, or share. This rod is tapered at the point, and 

 provided with two curved projections, which fit into 

 corresponding notches in the forward extremity of the 



body (a) ; these notches act as fulcra, in which the rod 

 (6) may be moved, the extremity moving vertically. 

 The sock-rod (b) extends upwards at an angle to the 

 line of the sole, ami its extremity passes through a long 

 slot, or aperture, made in a curved bracket (c), or pro- 

 jecting part, bolted on to the back part of the body. 

 A washer (d) is also provided, through which the ex- 

 tremity of the rod (b) passes; the inner edge of this, 

 and the outer edge of the bracket (c), being provided 

 with corresponding indentations and projections, 

 which fit into each other. The two are brought 

 into close contact with each other by a nut 

 on the screwed end of the rod {b), which is 

 thus maintained in any desired position. The place 

 of Ihe washer (d) on the bracket (c) can thus be 

 altered, and the end of the rod (6) made to rise or 

 fall correspondingly. Parallel to, and above this 

 rod (6), another rod, but of smaller diameter, called 

 the "share-hook" (e) is placed; one end of which parses 

 through, and is secured by a nut outside the washer 

 (d). The lower end is turned up for a short distance 

 at right angles, forming a species of hook or catch, 

 which enters into a hole in the share. By tightening 

 the nut at the other extremity of the share-hook the 

 share is pulled upwards and secui-ed tightly to its scat 

 in the end of the lever neck (Z>). The rising or lower- 

 ing of this lever neck — the manner of doing which we 

 have already described — gives the point of the share 

 greater or less " pitch" or inclination, as the share 

 wears, or as the condition of the soil to be cultivated 

 may require. The management is such that it admits 

 of the easy removal of substances as couch, which pre- 

 vent the free action of the lever. 



The sock or share is of cast-iron, cast in a metal 

 mould, which gives a very hard surface. It is pro- 

 vided with a sock on its under-side, to receive the 

 tapered end of the lower neck (6). 



The coulter is fastened to the bottom by a wrought- 

 iron clip, which by being made moveable within a 

 range of five inches along the beam, alters the angle 

 which it makes with the sole-line of the plough. The 

 upper end, or stem of the coulter, is made circular, 

 and passes through two eye-bolts, one of which is placed 

 above and the other below the beam ; the ends of these 

 pass through a plate, the ends of which are turned in> 



