22 SKETCHES OP RURAL AFFAIRS. 



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. 



IV. The breadth and depth of the furrow being as- 

 certained, 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 to 

 either side. The edge of the coulter should also be 

 set directly forward, 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. 



V. 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 punishment, when 

 often repeated, at length ceases to have due effect, and 

 thus leads to unnecessary beating. 



These are important directions, especially such as 

 relate to the steady guidance of the plough. In a 

 general way, the good ploughman never presses upon 

 the stilts ; he is aware in a moment, by a mere glance 

 of the eye, or by quickness of feeling, when the plough 

 is going wrong, and acts accordingly. A mere turn of 

 his hand sets it right again ; while in the hands of an 

 awkward ploughman the mischief is doubled by the 

 unnecessary effort made in setting right. 



Every ploughman knows, however, that when the 

 share runs deeper into the soil than was intended, it is 

 necessary either to lean upon the stilts, which is called 

 steepiny, or to put the draught-bolt of the bridle a 

 little nearer the ground, which is called giving the 



