PLOWING, SUBSOILIN-G, AND TRENCHING. I45 



be cut close to a fence. In such case, however, the team not 

 being directly in front of their work, pull at a disadvantage.* 



The young plowman will have to experiment by altering the 

 length of his traces and by changing the attachment at the clevis, 

 until he finds the proper adjustment of the draft and the right 

 width and depth of the furrow j after this, if his plow is suited to 

 its work, he will have an easy time of it, in fair land, — among 

 Stones and roots his task cannot be made an easy one. 



It is better, if possible, to make the necessary alterations by 

 changing the clevis rather than by lengthening the traces or the 

 draft chain, — for the closer the team can be kept to the plow, 

 the more advantageously they will exert their power. 



Judiciously used, the roller or wheel is of great advantage, but 

 it should be set up free from the ground until the plow has been 

 exactly adjusted to its work, — then lowered so as to take a very 

 little of the downward pressure, barely enough to keep it revolv- 

 ing. More than this would tend to lift the plow out of its work, 

 or to increase the resistance. Its proper use is to assist in 

 steadying the plow, so that it will not feel the swaying of the line 

 of draft. 



Cut the furrows in as nearly a rectangular form as possible, 

 that is, have the land side of the plow perpendicular and the sole 

 flat. No matter how much you break up the slice before you 

 turn it to its place, (and except in plowing sod, the more this 

 is done the better,) you cannot work neatly, unless you keep a 

 good furrow, of uniform height and width, and with a straight 

 land side and bottom. 



It is found in practice, that, except for very thin or shallow 

 plowing, the proportion of furrow best adapted to economical 

 working is as seven is to ten, — thzt is, a furrow seven inches deep 

 should be ten inches wide ; ten ^nd a half inches deep, fifteen 

 inches wide, etc. 



* These directions apply to plows which turn the furrow to the right, or right-hand 

 plows. For left-hand plows they must be reversed. 



