31H Of Ploughing. 



is prevented. The plan of two yokings a-day is highly ad- 

 vantageous, though it does not seem to be understood in 

 those parts of the united kingdom, where it is the practice 

 to go but one yoking a-day, even in the longest days of 

 summer ( l7 ). That practice probably originated in the com- 

 mon-field system, and still continues, though the land to be 

 ploughed, is very remote from the farm-offices. This is an 

 additional proof, of the importance of having these offices in 

 a central situation. In some districts, the farmers allow 

 four horses for each plough, two for a journey of five hours 

 in the forenoon, and the two others for five hours in the 

 afternoon. This practice, which must greatly increase the 

 expense of cultivation, cannot be too strongly reprobated. 



9. Extent done in a Day. 



This must vary acng to the quality of the soil ; the 

 width of the furrow-^BI ; the depth of ploughing ; the 

 length of the field or ridge ; and the season of the year 

 when the work is performed. Some general idea, however, 

 of the extent done, and of the time required to do it, may 

 be given. 



A pair of horses can plough, of a medium soil, a statute 

 acre per day, in two journeys of nine hours in all, provided 

 the soil is not obstinate and tenacious. That extent is ten 

 chains long, and one chain, or 66 feet broad. There are 88 

 furrow-slices, nine inches wide each, in 66 feet, so that the 

 horses ploughing a furrow-slice of that width, travel 11 

 miles in ploughing an acre, exclusive of turnings. If the 

 turnings are equal to one-tenth, the horses actually travel 

 12 miles and 176 yards, in ploughing a statute acre ( l8 ). In 

 one day, that is very good work for two horses ; yet it is a 

 very slow pace, when divided into nine hours' work. In a 

 dry fine soil, and on level ground, a pair of good horses, 

 will plough twelve chains ; on wet heavy land, nine ; but 

 sometimes not more than eight chains. In crossing or stir- 

 ring turnip land, in summer or spring, they will do sixteen 

 chains, and in some very fine land two acres. The common 

 day's work in Norfolk, is from an acre, to an acre and an 

 half ( I9 ). In that district, the horses generally travel at the 

 rate of three miles an hour ( zo ) ; and the draught is so light, 

 as to be but little felt by the animals. 



A zealous agriculturist, (the late Earl of Mar), who 

 paid much successful attention to several branches of hus- 

 bandry, calculates, that the number of yards travelled in 



