Chap. XVIII. Of Ploughs. 283 



without reducing them to a moderate Finenefs, until 

 this ill- broken Land has, for above a Year, and 

 fometimes longer, entertained Ploughs, Cattle, and 

 Men, with a frequent laborious Exercife, for which 

 they are obliged to the one Coulter. 



If the Soil be fhallow, it may be broken up with a 

 narrow Furrow, which will the fooner be brought 

 in Tilth; but if it be a deep Soil, the Furrows muft 

 be proportionably large, or elfe a Part of the good 

 Mould muft be left under unmoved, and fo loft; for 

 a narrow Furrow cannot be plowed deep, becaufe 

 the Plough will continually flip out from the hard 

 Land toward the Right-hand, unlefs the rifing Fur- 

 row be of fufficient Weight to prefs the Plough to- 

 wards the Left, and keep it in its Work : The deeper 

 you plow, the greater Weight is required to prefs 

 it ; fo that the deeper your Land is, the worfe (or into 

 the larger Furrows) muft it be broken up with one 

 Coulter, infomuch that, if the Land be ftrong (as 

 moil deep Ground in England is), it is a Work of 

 fome Years to conquer it, after it has been refted. 

 And often it happens, that the exceffive Charge of 

 this Tillage reduces the Profit of rich Land below 

 that of poor. 



This gives an Opportunity to deceitful Servants, 

 of impofing upon their ignorant Mafters. They 

 plow fuch deep Land with a fmall fhallow Furrow, 

 to the end the Turf and Furrows may be broken, and 

 made fine the fooner ; pretending they will plow it 

 deeper the next time (which is called Stirring), which 

 thefe Rogues know very well cannot be done, and 

 intend no more than that the Plough coming the 

 eafler after the Horfes, their Coats may mine the 

 better ; and tho' there be no Crop at Harvefl, they 

 muft have Four Meals a Day all the Year, and extra- 

 vagant Wages at Michaelmas , or at any time of the 

 Year, when they think fit to mifbehave themfelves. 



This 



