Ch. IV.] PLOUGHING. 41 



to'either side. The edge of the coulter should also be set directly for- 

 ward, so that the land side of it may run on a parallel line with the 

 land side of the head, and in such a position as that their slant, or sweep, 

 may exactly correspond. 



5th. The ploughman should walk with his body as nearly as possible 

 upright, without leaning on the stilts, and without using force to any 

 part, further than may be absolutely necessary to keep the implement 

 steadily in a direct line. He should also be sparing of his voice, and 

 of correction to the team : of the former, because too much cheering 

 and ordering only confuses the cattle ; and of the latter, because punish- 

 ment, when often repeated, at length ceases to have due effect, and thus 

 leads to unnecessary beating. 

 There is, in fact, a certain des;ree of taste in ploifghi7ig, as well as in every 

 thing else, — a kind of tact, which is difficult to be taught, and hardly to be 

 acquired except by a sort of instinct. IMany a capital rough-rider is still but 

 an indifferent horseman, because he has a heavy band on his horse's mouth ; 

 and many a good seaman is still but an indifferent steersman, because he 

 feels the helm imperfectly. You see the one pulling at a horse's head, strain- 

 ing him out of his paces, fretting and teasing him ; yet with another, who 

 knows how to play with his mouth, he will ride light in hand and pleasantly. 

 So the seaman who can humour the helm makes good and easy steerage ; 

 while another toils and sweats, throws the vessel up in the wind, and makes 

 her roll. So likewise the ploughman who tills the ground with dexterity, never 

 presses upon the plough without necessity — a mere touch, or a glance of 

 the eye, tells him when she is going wrong, and a slight turn of the hand 

 sets her instantly right ; whereas a clumsy fellow, without feeling in his 

 palms or readiness of perception, is continually either throwing the plough 

 out, or she is riding upon heel or point, straining tlie team, tiring himself, 

 and altogether makinor bad work. 



PLOUGHING. 



On the subject of dravght, it may be observed, that when horses arie 

 properly harnessed to the plough, their traces will be in a direct line from 

 the point of draught at the shoulder to the point of the share passing through 

 the regulating notch of the muzzle. It is therefore proper to ascertain the 

 animal's height, in order that the muzzle may be fixed accordingly ; but as 

 his shoidder is not so far from the ground when he is pulling as when he is 

 in a state of rest, an allowance must be made for the difference. Thus if a 

 line be drawn from A at the share of the plough to B, and then a perpen- 

 dicular line from B to C at the horse's shoulder, an angle is formed : then, 

 if anotlier perpendicular line be drawn from yV to a, and measured upon the 

 same scale, it will give the 'height of the beam from the ground, at the 

 depth at which it is to be ploughed. 



