328 THE YOUNG FARMER'S MANUAL. 



smoothly, resting equally on the point and heel. The draft 

 may be correctly adjusted for plowing one kind of soil, but for 

 plowing a different soil perhaps not eight rods distant that 

 adjustment of the draft would be very incorrect. Let a plow 

 be adjusted correctly for plowing stubble ground of any kind, 

 where the soil is very compact and hard, and it will be found 

 that for plowing sod of the same kind of soil the plow will run 

 too deep. The soil often varies very much in the same field ; 

 so that a plow in one part of the field runs well, and in another 

 part, with the same adjustment, runs very badly. 



456. The idea which the expert plowman keeps in mind is, to 

 have the plow cut a furrow-slice just so thick and just so wide, 

 with the least draft to the team, and the least exertion for him 

 self. To secure this end, the team is hitched as close to the plow 

 as it can be and not have the whippletrees hit their heels in turn 

 ing at the corners. As the length of traces is increased, in plow 

 ing, the draft increases. Now put the connecting ring, or link, 

 or dial clevis, at the end of the beam, in the lowest notch ; and 

 if it will not run deep enough, raise it another notch at a time, 

 until it will run just deep enough. Now alter the clevis from 

 right to left, or from left to right, as may be necessary, until the 

 plow will cut a furrow-slice just wide enough to turn it over well. 

 If the plow crowds the furrow-slice into the furrow, without turn 

 ing it over, it shows that the furrow-slice is too narrow for its 

 depth; and the plow must be adjusted to cut a wider slice. On 

 the contrary, if the plowman is obliged to push the furrow-slice 

 over with his foot constantly, if the ground he is plowing be very 

 smooth and even, it shows that there is an imperfection or fault 

 somewhere. Sometimes by adjusting a plow to run an inch 

 deeper it will do very bad work. (See Par. 447.) And sometimes 

 it is necessary to adjust it to cut a little wider, or a little nar 

 rower, before it will turn the furrow-slice as well as it ought to 

 be done. When a good plow is correctly adjusted, it will glide 

 along where there are no obstructions, without being held, for 

 many rods. When a plow is constantly inclined to fall over 

 either way, and the plowman must hold it up all the while to keep 



