10 THE FARMER'S MANUAL. 



4. These evils may be remedied by carrying a fur- 

 row down the hill only, and by inclining this furrow 

 to the left hand, directly in proportion to the descent 

 of the declivity and suffering the team to re-ascend 

 the hill without a furrow. This will lessen your day's 

 work, not one half, but about one third, because your 

 team will travel so much faster, both up and down the 

 hill, when they carry but one furrow. In this way, 

 the steepest hills may be ploughed without a single 

 furrow left open to the wash, except the last one, and 

 the saving in the strength of the team, and in the 

 value of the crop, which will arise from the extra 

 goodness of the ploughing, will doubly compensate 

 for the loss of time. In this way, the steepest hills, 

 on which cattle can travel, may be ploughed to ad- 

 vantage, by striking the furrows transversely, or in a 

 direction inclined to the left hand, directly in propor- 

 tion to the steepness of the declivity. 



5. -In this way, one third or one half the strength 

 of team will perform the work. 



6. Where the descent is gentle, and not exposed to 

 wash, let your ridges range exactly with the descent, 

 that the surplusage of moisture may pass off easy, 

 and regular, in the furrows. 



7. If your business drives, and your land is light, 

 you may fully compensate for the loss of time by 

 widening your furrow slice ; your plough-share will cut 

 one fourth, one third, or even one half more, than in 

 ploughing directly up and down, according to the 

 steepness of the declivity, and the obliquity of your 

 furrows. 



8. All this, together with the general width of your 

 furrow slice, must depend upon the judgment of the 

 husbandman, directed by the quality of the soil. If 

 the soil is hard and stiff, cut narrow ; but if it is light 

 and loose> cut your furrow slice as wide as the share 

 will cut clean, and no further; all beyond this is cut, 

 and cover, which is bad ploughing. 



9. Plough all your lands as much as possible when 



