Chap. XVIII. Of Ploughs. 28? 



time. The dry Weather alfo, which in Summer 

 kills the Swerd, renders the Plowing obnoxious to 

 moft or all the Evils afore-mentioned. 



A Farmer inquires concerning the Four-coulter 

 Plough, as in the following Dialogue. 



Farm. What muft we do then ? Muft we have re- 

 courfe to the Spade for breaking up our rich, ftrong^ 

 fwerdy Land ? 



Refp. If you can procure Men to dig it faithfully 

 in Pieces, not above Two Inches and an half thick, 

 at the Price of about Eight Shillings per Acre, it 

 would do very well, and anfwer all the Ends of Till- 

 age; but, tho' you bargain with them to dig it at 

 that Size for Three Pounds per Acre, you will find, 

 upon Examination, moft of the Pieces or Spits, 

 which are dug out of your Sight, to be of twice 

 that Thicknefs. And no great Quantities can be 

 this way managed, altho' the Price of Corn mould 

 anfwer fuch an extravagant Expence. 



Farm. Since it is fo difficult to bring our ftrong Land 

 into Tilths after it has refted, that it cannot be fpeedily 

 done by a Plough without a Coulter, or by one with a 

 Coulter, in wet Weather or dry, nor with a Breaft- 

 plough, without a certain Expence, and an uncertain 

 Succefs i the Spade is too chargeable a Tillage for the 

 Field : It feems to me, upon the Whole, that we are 

 Lofers by this inaratas gratia terras, unlefs we could con- 

 trive fome other Method of reducing it fo oner, and with 

 lefs Charge, into Tilth ; for I obferve, that, when we 

 fow it upon the Back, the Corn and Grafs (or Couch), 

 coming both together, exhauft the Ground fo much, that 

 by that time we can (which is about Three Tears) re- 

 duce the great Lumps to a tolerable Finenefs, it grows 

 full of Grafs and Weeds {which we call Foul), and lofes 

 that Fertility we expected it /hould acquire by Reft, be- 

 comings 

 4 



