Chap. XVIII. Of Ploughs. 277 



Perch to a Statute Acre is fufficient for this Purpofe ; 

 and that, at the Rate of Ten Shillings Rent, comes 

 to but Three-pence^ tho' this varies, according as the 

 Piece is longer or fhorter ; and iuppofmg the mod 

 to be Eight Perch, that is but Six-pence per Acre ; 

 and that is not loft neither % for whether it be of 

 natural or artificial Grafs, the Hoe-plough, in turn- 

 ing on it, will fcratch it, and leave fome Earth on 

 it, which will enrich it fo much, that it may be worth 

 its Rent for Baiting of Horfes or Oxen upon it. And 

 befldes, thefe Ends are commonly near Quick-hedges 

 or Trees, which do foexhauft it, that when no Cattle 

 come there to manure it, 'tis not worth the Labour 

 of plowing it. 



CHAP. XVIII. 



O/Ploughs, 



BY what means Ploughs and Tillage itfelf came 

 at firft to be invented is uncertain; therefore 

 we are at Liberty to guefs : And it feems moft proba- 

 ble, that it was, like moft other Inventions, found 

 out by Accident, and that the firft Tillers or Plowers 

 of the Ground were Hogs : Men in thofe Days, 

 having fufficient Leifure for Speculation, obferv'd, 

 that when any fort of Seed happen'd to fall on a 

 Spot of Ground well routed up by the Swine (which 

 Inftincthad inftru&ed to dig in Search of their Food), 

 it grew and profpered much better than in the whole 

 unbroken Turf. This Obfervation mufl naturally in- 

 duce rational Creatures to the Contrivance of fome 

 Inftrument, which might imitate, if not excel Brutes 

 in this Operation of breaking and dividing the Sur- 

 face of the Earth, in order to increafe and better its 

 Product. 



T 3 That 



