460 EUROPEAN AGRICULTURE. 



argument, in respect to the dirt keeping the animals warmer, 

 seems well understood, and practically exemplified, by many of 

 the lower classes in London, Edinburgh, arid Dublin, and, if well 

 founded, might do something towards lessening the compassion 

 which one must otherwise feel for their suffering from the want 

 of fuel. The horses in possession of the farmer spoken of 

 appeared in good condition, and were strong for labor ; and the 

 practice pursued was of several years standing. 



The usual practice is for the ploughman to be at the stables at 

 four o clock in the morning ; to clean, water, and feed his horses, 

 and to be in the field at work at six o clock. With a short time 

 to rest occasionally, he continues his ploughing until two o clock, 

 when he returns to the homestead, the horses are thoroughly 

 cleaned, and rubbed, and watered, and fed, and at last littered 

 for the night eight hours being considered as a day s work j and, 

 in ordinary cases, an English statute acre, of the same size as an 

 American acre, is his allotted stint. There are cases of heavy 

 land, in which only three quarters of an acre are considered a 

 day s work ; and others, of lighter land, in which upwards of an 

 acre and a quarter are accomplished. In Scotland, a pair of 

 horses are ordinarily considered sufficient for any kind of land, 

 and they are worked side by side. If three are employed, two 

 walk upon the land, and one in the furrow. The practice of 

 employing only two horses to a plough is beginning to prevail 

 in England; but, in many instances, three and four horses are 

 used, drawing at length. This practice is not so entirely with 

 out reason as some travellers represent it, for in some land it is 

 desirable and necessary to avoid trampling it, and consolidating 

 it the more, by the horses tread ; but when, as it has occasion 

 ally happened, I have seen five horses harnessed lengthwise to a 

 single plough, with two men at the plough, and three men or 

 boys with the horses, my own admiration has sometimes bor 

 dered upon the ridiculous. The affair of turning at the end, in 

 such a case, is somewhat like wheeling a battalion of undisci 

 plined militia at a country muster, and, unless the field be very 

 long, a large portion of the day must be occupied by these evo 

 lutions. The Scotch ploughman, with only two horses, and the 

 reins over his neck, turns a corner like an officer s charger, and 

 requires no aid. 



In some cases, ploughs with double mould-boards are used. 



