40 BRITISH HUSBANDRY. [Ch. IV. 



ing, tliat it may be commonly calculated that ploiiglis of the ordinary form 

 will lay the furrow on a proper angle if tlie land be ploughed in about the 

 proportion of three to two : that is, if a furrow of nine inches in breadth be 

 carried to six inches in depth. It must, however, be admitted, that the 

 width and depth of the furrows are not always tlius regulated in ])ractice, 

 and that, although the principle of the rule is correet, it may yet be partially 

 deviated from without much inconvenienee. 



Bad ploughmen are remarkable for leaning on the left stilt, thus giving 

 the bottom of the furrow a slope towards the land side, which they justify 

 by saying, " that it eases the horses, and keeps the loose soil from tumbling 

 in over the mould-board." Of this there can indeed be no doubt ; but a 

 portion of the land is thus left unstirred, or only ploughed to the depth of 

 perhaps two or three inches, and conserpiently a portion of the tillage is im- 

 perfectly performed. This partly arises from the breadth of the furrow-slice 

 being greater than that of the feather of the sock, and partly from the plough 

 being set with too much land ; to counteract which it is necessary to press 

 upon the left handle, and thus to raise the feather of the sock above the 

 level of the lieel of the plough. This may, indeed, be in some measure 

 remedied by allowing the point of the sliare to penetrate about half an inch 

 deeper into the ground, so as to prevent the plough from going too wide ; 

 but it should never be allowed to lean farther to the left than is necessary 

 to effect that purpose. There is not, perhaps, one ploughman in twenty 

 who can "land up" well, and fewer still who can do it neatly: they begin 

 and end with their plit too deep, which, instead of laying the ridges convex, 

 leaves them hog-troughed and lank-sided : that is, with a hollow place on 

 each side. If broad-cast ridges are of unequal breadth, bent, or zigzag, the 

 work cannot be uniform ; and with crooked drills there is a loss of ground, 

 an unequal distribution of manure, and the hoeings cannot be effectually 

 performed *. 



^ As the perfection of good ploughing can only be attained by practice, it 

 must be evident that nothing like a system can be framed for the operation 

 upon every diversity of soil ; but the following rules, which are partly those 

 of the late Mr. Finlayson, who was himself an expert practical ploughman, 

 may be laid down as worthy of being observed by every man who means to 

 become a proficient in the performance of his work. 



1st. The horses should be harnessed as near to the plough as they 

 can be placed without impeding the freedom of their step; for the 

 closer tliey are to the point of draught, the less exertion will be re- 

 quired to overcome the resistance. 



2nd. When ploughing with a pair abreast, the most forward and 

 powerful horse should be worked in the furrow ; but if the team be 

 harnessed in line, and there be any difference in the height of the 

 cattle, the tallest should be put foremost if he be in every other respect 

 equal to the others. 



3rd. When at work, they should be kept going at as regular and 

 good a pace as the nature of the work will permit ; for they are thus 

 more manageable, and the draught easier than when slow.' By due 

 attention to this, the heavy soil will also cling less to the coulter, and 

 the land will be found to work more freely. 



4th. The breadth and depth of the furrow being ascertained, the 

 plough should be held upright, bearing equally all along on a straight 

 sole, and be made to move forward in a regular line, without swerving 



* See the Repoifs of Bedfordshire, p. 278; Bucks, p. 106 ; and Surrey, p. 152; Mar- 

 shall's Minutes of Agriculture, digest, p. 66 ; Finlayson's Complete Ploughman, p. 44; 

 and Williamson's Agric. Mechanism, p. 173. 



