Chap. IX. O F P L O W I N G. 55 



We fear that the great difadvantage attending the ufe of this 

 plough may be, that the refiftance occafioned by the three addi- 

 tional coulters may be fuch as to require a greater number of horfes 

 than the increafed profit can afi-'ord. 



Mr. Tull fays farther, that his new plough can iiir the earth ten, 

 twelve, or fourteen inches deep ; and as this plough makes deep 

 furrows and very high ridges, a larger furface of the eartli is expofed 

 to the influences of the air. 



When a field is intended to be broke up, which has not been 

 plowed of a long time, the earth Ihould be very moift, efpecially 

 if it be a iiiff land ; for otherwife it would be fo hard, that the 

 coulter would not be able to cut it, nor the fliare to turn it up. 

 But when lands are in tilth, care mull be taken not to plov/ them 

 when over wet ; becaufe the trampling of the horfes and the fliare 

 itfelf will poach and as it were knead ftrong lands, almoll equal to 

 what potters do when they prepare their clay for ufe j and thus 

 the land is damaged, inftead of being improved. 



Mr. Tull recommends putting all the horfes length-v/ays, when 

 a foft ground is plowed ; that, by their treading all in the furrow, 

 the earth may be lefs poached. 



If the land .is in good tilth, it may be plowed in dry weather : 

 but the beil time is when it has been a little moiften'd by rain, 

 efpecially for the new plough, which would not eafily go deep, if 

 the earth was very dry. 



'Tis true that as the four-coulter'd plough enters deep, and turns 

 up a great deal of earth, a greater (Irength is required to draw it ; 

 fo that it will be neceffary to ufe three horfes inftead of two, and 

 four inftead of three. But the excellence of this tillage will make 

 ample amends for that additional expence. 



T7he four-coulter'd plough is ufed only for the firft plowings, to 

 break up frefli grounds, or give a good tilth to thofe that have not 

 been plowed before, or that have been ill plowed for a long time. 

 It is likewife very fit for winter plowings ; and Mr. Tull ufes it 

 fometimes to make deep furrows in the middle of the alleys between 

 the rows of corn. 



But he does not pretend that all plowings fliould be made with 

 this plough. He approves of the common plough for the fum- 

 nier plowings, tho' he generally employs for that ufe a lighter 

 plough with one coulter, and without any wheels, which he calls 

 the horfe-hoe; becaufe he performs with this, what bears fomc 



refem- 



