OfOXFO%V-SHl 1 \E, itf 



juft where theplougb muft come, and is prefently ploughed m. By 

 this way of /owing they think they fave much feed and other 

 charge, a dexterous Boy being as capable of fowing this way out 

 of his hat, as the moft judicious Seeds-man. But of this way 

 more hereafter, when I come into Buckingham-fiire. 



76. Thus having run through, the Tillage, Manures, Quantities 

 and choice of Seed, and the feveral ways of fowing the Soils of 

 this County, I proceed to the lnflruments ufed in their tillage : A- 

 mongil which, the Plough being the beft, becaufe the moftufeful 

 Engine in the World, deferves the firft place ; of which there 

 are two forts ufed in Oxford-fbire, the Foot, and Wheel-plough ; 

 whereof the firft is ufed in deep and Clay Lands, being accord- 

 ingly fitted with a broad fin fhare, and the Horfes going always in 

 a firing and keeping the furrow, to avoid poching the Land ; and 

 the fecond'm the lighter and ftony Land, the Horfes either going in 

 a firing, or two a breaft, according as thought moft fuitable to 

 the tillage in hand m : This Plough when ufed in ftony Land, is 

 armed with a roundpointed fhare, having alfo near the chep of the 

 Plough a fmailyfoz to cut the roots of the grafs, for in this Land 

 the broad fin jumps out of the ground. The foot plough does beft 

 at the henting, i. e. ending of a Land, it going clofe up to a hedge, 

 and not being fubje'cc to over-throw ; whereas the wheel plough, 

 if care and difcretion do not meet in the holder, is apt to over- 

 throw there, the Land being ridged ; but goes much morelight- 

 fom and eafie for the Horfes than the foot plough doth, which is 

 the fum of the Conveniences and Inconveniencies of both. 



77. After Ploughing and Sowing, they cover their Corn with 

 Harrows, whereof fome have 4, 5, or 6 bulls, or /pars apiece, each 

 of them armed with five tines, and of a fquare form a$ at moft o~ 

 ther places. But at Whitfield, near Sir Thomat Tif pings, I faw a 

 great weighty triangular Harrow, whofe tines ftood not in rows 

 after the manner of others, its ufe being in ground much fubjecl to 

 Quitch -grafs, whofe roots it feems continually palling between the 

 tines of other Harrows, are not fo eaflly dragged forth by them, as 

 this, whofe tines ftand not in rows, and is drawn with one of the 

 Angles fore-moft, after the manner of a Wedge : Yet I could not 

 find it anfwer'd expectation fo well as to obtain in other places, 

 moft thinking the great fquare Bull harrow, drawn by the fecond 



" On light Land fome count the treading of double Cattle advantageous to it. 



bull 



