PLOUGH. 



PLOUGH. 



they began to be improved by the Dutch and 

 Flemish. In the seventeenth century the plough 

 underwent further improvement in England; 

 and it was greatly improved in that following, 

 in Scotland. There are now a great variety of 

 excellent forms, the best of which, for general 

 purposes, is, in Britain, universally allowed to 

 be what is called the Scotch plough, and in 

 Scotland the improved Scotch plough. In speak- 

 ing of the implement we shall adopt the latter 

 term, because the unimproved Scotch plough 

 differs little from some old forms of the imple- 

 ment common to Europe from the time of the 

 Romans. As the operation of ploughing, like 

 many other operations in practical husbandry, 

 must often vary in the manner of its being 

 performed, it is evident that no one particular 

 sort of plough can be superior to all others, in 

 every season, and under every variety of soil 

 or inclination of surface. The Scotch plough, 

 however, and the variations of which it is 

 susceptible, render it perhaps the most uni- 

 versal tillage implement hitherto invented or 

 used. 



In Britain ploughs are classed into two kinds: 

 those fitted up with wheels, and called wheel- 

 ploughs ; and those without wheels, called 

 swing ploughs. The latter arc the lightest of 

 draught, but require an experienced and atten- 

 tive ploughman to use them ; the former work 

 with greater steadiness, and require much less 

 skill in the manager : some sorts, indeed, do 

 not require holding at all, excepting at entering 

 in, and turning on and off the work at the ends 

 of the ridges. On the whole, taking ploughmen 

 as they are, and ploughs as they are generally 

 constructed, it will be found, that a district 

 ploughed with wheel-ploughs will show greater 

 neatness of work than one ploughed \vitli 

 swing ploughs : but, on the other hand, taking 

 a district where the improved form of swing 

 ploughs is generally adopted, the ploughmen 

 will be found superior workmen, and the work 

 performed in a better manner, and with less 

 expense of labour, than in the case of wheel- 

 ploughs. 



In the construction of ploughs, whatever be 

 the sort used, there are a few general principles 

 that ought invariably to be attended to ; such 

 as the giving the throat and breast, or that part 

 which enters, perforates, and breaks up the 

 ground, that sort of long, narrow, clean, taper- 

 ing, sharpened form that affords the least re- 

 sistance in passing through the land ; and to 

 the mould-board, that kind of hollowed-out and 

 twisted form, which not only tends to lessen 

 friction, but also to contribute greatly to the 

 perfect turning over of the furrow-slice. The 

 beam and muzzle should likewise be so con- 

 trived, as that the moving power, or team, may 

 be attached in the most advantageous line of 

 draught. This is particularly necessary where 

 a number of animals are employed together, 

 in order that the draught of 'the whole may 

 coincide. 



Land, when properly ploughed, must be re- 

 moved from a horizontal position, and twisted j 

 over to a certain angle, so that it may be left | 

 in that inclining state, one furrow leaning upon 

 another, till the whole field be completely 

 ploughed. The depth and width of the furrows 



which is most approved of by farmers, and 

 commonly to be met with in the best-ploughed 

 fields, are in the proportion of 2 to 3; or, if the 

 furrow be 2 deep, it must be 3 wide, and left at 

 an angle of 45 to 46 degrees. 



Various forms have been given to the differ- 

 ent parts of the plough, by ingenious persons, 

 according to their different fancies, in order to 

 diminish the weight of the draught, and to turn 

 over the furrow, and leave it in its proper posi- 

 tion, without tearing or breaking it. 



To have the line of draught at right angles 

 to the horses' shoulders is of great importance 

 in the formation of a plough ; a circumstance 

 of which the greatest part of the plough-makers 

 are totally ignorant, although it is well known 

 to every one that has the least knowledge of 

 mechanics. If we take the angle that the 

 horses' shoulders make with a perpendicular 

 from the horizon, and continue another line at 

 right angles to it, or parallel to the draught 

 chain ; the length of this line from the horses' 

 shoulders to where it meets or crosses the 

 coulter, at half the depth of the furrow, will be 

 13 feet 2 inches for ordinary sized horses. 



Length of beam. If the plough be properly 

 made, the line of draught should pass through 

 the middle hole of the plough bridle at the point 

 of the beam. This requires the beam to be 7 

 feet long, to give it a proper height at the 

 bridle. 



Left side plane. That part of the plough 

 next the solid land should be made a perfect 

 plane, and run parallel to the line of draught; 

 whereas some of the common ploughs are 

 completely twisted in that part, and deviate 

 more than 2 inches from the line of draught; 

 this throws the plough to the left, and causes 

 the hinder part of the mould-board to press 

 hard against the furrow, and crush and break 

 it, besides increasing the labour of the cattle. 



The position of the coulter must not deviate 

 much from an angle of 45 degrees : for, if we 

 make it more oblique, it causes the plough to 

 choke up with stubble and grass roots, by 

 throwing them up against the beam; and, if 

 'blique, it is apt to drive the stones or 

 other obstacles before it, and make it heavier 

 to draw. 



The mould-board, for all free soils, and for 

 working fallows, is generally most effective 

 when it has a considerable concavity; but for 

 breaking up clover leys, pasture, or any firm 

 surface, and also for clayey soils, it is found to 

 clean itself better and make neater work when 

 it approaches nearer to a plane, and in very 

 stiff clays, is formed with a concave surface. 

 The lower edge of the mould-board, on the 

 most improved forms, is in a separate piece, 

 which, when it wears, can be taken off and 

 renewed. The technical name of this slip of 

 iron is the wearing-piece. 



The materials with which ploughs are con- 

 structed is, generally, wood for the beam and 

 handles, cast iron for the head, side-plates, 

 mould-board, and sole, and wrought iron for the 

 share, coulter, and muzzle. But of late years, 

 in consequence of the dearness of timber, and. 

 the cheapness of iron in Britain, they have 

 been constructed wholly of the latter material, 

 and with considerable advantage in point of 

 4G 901 



