282 Of Ploughs. Chap. XVIII. 



and form a new Turf (or SwerdJ on the other Side, 

 which was the Bottom of the Furrow before turning, 

 but is now become the Surface of the Earth, and 

 may foon become greener with Grafs than before 

 Plowing ; and often the very Roots fend up new 

 Heads to help to flock the reverfed Furrow, the for- 

 mer Heads being converted into Roots, fo that it is 

 doubly cloathed and braced on both Sides, or, as 

 it were, kay'd together, firm and folid, almoft as a 

 Plank ; it may be drawn from one Side of a Field 

 to the other without breaking, and might pofllbly 

 be made ufe of, inrtead of Virgil's Crates Viminea^ 

 for harrowing or fmoothing of fine-tilled Ground ; 

 but not without much Time, Labour, and Difficulty, 

 can it be made fuch itfelf. 



If you plow whole ftrong turfy Furrows crofs-ways, 

 as Virgil directs, and as it is too commonly pra61ifed, 

 the Coulter cannot eafily cut them, becaufe, being 

 Joofe underneath, they do not make a fufficient Re- 

 fiflance or PrefTure again it its Edge, but move before 

 it, and fo are apt to be drawn and driven up into 

 Heaps, with their Surfaces lying all manner of Ways, 

 and fituate in all manner of Poitures : So the Turf, 

 which is not turned, continuing in the open Air, 

 grows on, and with its vigorous Roots holds the 

 Earth faft together, and will not fuffer the neceffary 

 Divifion to be made, which would be, if the Turf 

 were rotten, and which is the End of all Tillage, 

 viz. to increafe the Pasture of Plants. 



Next,fome have vafl heavy Drags, with great long 

 Iron Tines in them ; and tho' thefe huge broken 

 Pieces of Furrows, being loofer than before, require 

 keener Edges to cut them \ yet thefe Drag-tines have 

 no Edge at all, but are as blunt as the Furrows they 

 fhould cut. Thefe Drags draw them fometimes into 

 larger Heaps, leaving the under Stratum bare betwixt 

 them, only making offfome of their Mould in tum- 

 bling them about, and fcratching their Surfaces, 



without 



