8 BRITISH HUSBANDRY. [Ch. I 



at V, fig-. 2. The stilts are 2 inches deep, and i an inch _^tliick, and con- 

 nected by slight iron rods. D is the sock ; and E F two screw-bolts by 

 which tlie head is fixed upon the plough. 



" The beam is wrought quite straight on the land-side, and tapered 

 towards both ends on the furrow-side, as represented by the dotted lines A B, 

 in fig. 2. By forming it in this manner the mortise for the coulter is 

 placed more to the right of the land-side plane, than if the taper were taken 

 off the land-side. The advantage of this position will be understood by 

 consulting fig. 3, wliicli is a cross section of the plough ; the dotted line 

 E F being the land-side edge of the sheath G H ; the coulter intersecting 

 the land-side plane at I, about six or seven inches above the sole, that being 

 the depth of an ordinary furrow. The plougli, in that case, has no twist, nor 

 projecting parts on the land-side to give resistance to its motion, except the 

 point of the coulter itself, standing half an inch to the left of that of the 

 sock at H, which is necessary for clearing the land-side of the plough, and 

 also to give a greater depth and boldness to the slioulder of furrow at K ; the 

 furrow having, in that case, the advantage of being cut, and of standing, 

 when turned over, from ten to fifteen degrees above the square ; which posi- 

 tion of the furrow has the important advantage of perfectly covering the 

 seed. 



" The left handle at C stands seven or eight inches to the left of the 

 land-side plane, as may be seen by the dotted line L M, in fig. 2: which 

 ])Osition, together with that of the coulter, as at G H, fig. 3, gives every pos- 

 sible advantage in cutting the furrow with a bold shoulder. The plough- 

 man is thereby permitted to w-alk with ease in the bottom, and betwixt the 

 liandles, keeping the land-side plane of the plough perpendictdar to the 

 liorizon ; whereas those whose left handle is in a straiglit line with the land- 

 side plane of the plough, must be laid over to the land- side above, to enable 

 the jdoughman to walk in the furrow." 



This j)osilion of the left-hand stilt is indeed one of the principal improve- 

 ments which it possesses ; for another advantage, on which IMr. Wilkie 

 insists, that — " where the }>lough is laid over to the land-side above, the point 

 of the coulter is turned more towards the furrow, and from the land-side ; of 

 course the shoulder of the furrow which it cuts is not so bold and full ; the 

 friction of it is increased ; the mould-board is kept too far from tlie furrow- 

 slice, and on that account does not set it in a proper position'' — has been 

 disputed, and appears subject to much doubt *. 



" The form of the seed-furrow mould-board — as designated in fig. 4 — is 

 curved upon a scale divided into 132 degrees, marked in divisions of 10 

 degrees each, as at R S, and its twist is delineated by the distance at which 



* Mr. 'Wilkie supports his st.itemcnt regjarding the position of the stilts, by layinj^ it 

 clown as a fixed principle, that the land-side of the plough ouf^ht to stand perpendicnhir, 

 and that all its other parts should be so constructed as to preserve that position while at 

 work, so far as circumstances will admit : and he proves that it is only practicable to pre- 

 serve that position by placing the left handle seven or eiglit inches to the left of tlie 

 land-side plane. Thus — " Let the ploughman stand in the bottom of the furrow, imme- 

 diately beliind the plougli, the land-side of which is standing perpendicular; raise a jier- 

 pendicular line from the edge of the furrow where the land-sule of the plough has just 

 ]iassed, and it will strike the iv.an about 5 inches to the left of the centre of his body. 

 Now, let him extend his arms to their natural position, and it will be found they reach to 

 12 or 14 inches on each side of the centre. According to this rule, then. I regulate the 

 position of the left handle — from the centre to the land-side plane is 5 inches, and from 

 the land-side to the outside of the handle 7 inches, making 12 inches in the whole. The 

 right handle may be placed about 30 inches from the left, as convenience or fancy may 

 dictate." — Furm. M<i<j., vol. xii., p. 341. See also vol. xiii-, pp. 73, 148, 303, and 444 ; 

 and the .Append, to the Rep. of Dumfriesshire, No, xxi. 



