TILLAGE MACHINERY 



75 



quality of material and workmanship is desirable when 

 selecting a walking plow. It may be difficult to judge of 

 the material, but the workmanship can be easily deter- 

 mined. Beginning with the frog, the plow should be 

 well made and put together, and at this point a vast dif- 

 ference in plows may be detected. The work to be done 

 should determine the kind of plow to be selected, and 

 the type of mold-board must be suited to the soil to be 

 turned. While steel-beamed plows are used to better 

 advantage in plowing among trash, plows with wooden 

 beams have an advantage in being lighter and less likely 

 to be sprung. A w r ooden-beam plow, striking a rock or 

 root, may have the beam broken, while with a steel-beam 

 plow it may be distorted. A right-hand plow is one 

 that turns the furrow to the right, and a left-hand plow 

 is one turning the furrow to the left. The custom estab- 

 lished in the locality where it is to be used should deter- 

 mine the one to select, as one has no advantage over 

 the other. 



112. The selection of a sulky plow. As is the case with 

 the walking plow, the quality of a sulky plow will be 

 indicated largely by its construction and workmanship, 

 although its selection requires more caie than that of a 

 walking plow. To be brief, a well-made plow and one 

 easily operated as regards foot lifts and levers should be 

 chosen. It should turn a square corner in either direc- 

 tion, and all parts subject to wear should either be adjust- 

 able or made of generous dimensions. This applies espe- 

 cially to bail boxes on bail plows. 



113. Adjusting the walking plow. A few points re- 

 garding the operation of plows should be mentioned. A 

 walking plow, if working properly, should need very little 

 attention from the plowman, only requiring him to steady 

 it with the handles. If it requires a steady pull to either 



