108 Implements, *c. 



pense of maintaining horses, not only for their own advan- 

 tage, but also with a view of lessening the consumption, and 

 diminishing the price of provisions when the price is too 

 high. The foundation of a system may thus be laid, by 

 which the operations of the farmer may, in future, be carried 

 on at much less expense, and the importation of foreign 

 produce of so indispensable an article as food, in a great 

 measure rendered unnecessary. 



SECT. VII. Implements of Husbandry. 



THE superiority of British husbandry over that of other 

 nations, may, in a great measure, be attributed to the nu- 

 merous valuable implements employed in executing the va- 

 rious processes of agriculture. Both the abundance of ca- 

 pital, and the ingenuity of our mechanics, have produced 

 that important advantage. The number of these imple- 

 ments, however, is so great, that the prudent farmer, in 

 regard to that, as well as in every other branch of his art, 

 must study economy. He should not incur an unnecessary 

 expense in buying them, nor in purchasing more, than are 

 essentially requisite, and can be profitably used. This maxim 

 ought to be more especially attended to by young improvers, 

 who are often tempted, under the specious idea of diminish- 

 ing labour, and saving expense, to buy a superfluous quan- 

 tity of implements, which they afterwards find are of little 

 use ( x 47). 



In purchasing implements, the following rules are to be 

 observed : 1. They should be simple in their construction, 

 both that their uses may be more easily understood, and that 

 any common workman may be able to repair them, when 

 they get out of order. 2. The materials should be of a du- 

 rable nature, that the labour may be less liable to interrup- 

 tion from their accidental failure. 3. Their form should be 

 firm and compact, that they may not be injured by jolts and 

 shaking; and that they may be more safely worked by 

 country labourers, who are but little accustomed to the use 

 of delicate tools. 4. In the large machines, symmetry, and 

 lightness of shape, ought to be particularly attended to , for 

 a heavy carriage, like a great horse, is worn out by its own 

 weight, nearly as much as by what it carries' ( I48 ). 5. The 

 wood should be cut up and placed in a position, the best 

 calculated to resist pressure ; and mortises, so likely to 

 weaken the wood, should, as much as possible, be avoided ; 



