HANDLING THE SOIL 35 



curve, the plow is said to be a sod-plow, because it will turn 

 the sod over well. If the mold-board has a short, steep curve 

 it is called a "bold" mold-board, and the plow is a good 

 stubble-plow, because it pulverizes the soil while turning it 

 over. The part which slips along next to the unplowed land 

 is called the land-side. The handles are the parts that the 

 plowman uses to guide the plow. The colter or cutter is a 

 sharp bar of metal fastened to the beam or to the plow-point, 



4. A WALKING BREAKING PLOW 



which pushes ahead of the mold-board to cut the soil 

 from top to bottom. The colter is not absolutely necessary. 

 Sometimes instead of a colter shoving through the soil there 

 is a solid sharp wheel fixed to the beam which cuts the soil. 

 This is called a rolling-cutter. The shank is a bar extending 

 straight down from the beam and to it the share, mold-board 

 and land -side are fastened. It helps to give stiffness to the 

 plow. The jointer looks like a little plow fastened to the beam. 

 It takes the place of the colter and turns a narrow and shal- 

 low slice of soil in front of the main slice. It is particularly 

 useful in the turning under of trash of all kinds and especially 



