NATURE NEAR LONDON 



that the share may dig deep or shallow. Then there 

 is the " cock-pin," the " road-bat " (a crooked piece 

 of wood), the " sherve-wright " (so pronounced) 

 shelvewright (?) the " rist," and spindle, 

 besides, of course, the usual coulter and share. 

 When the oxen arrive at the top of the fie!d, 

 and the first furrow is completed, they stop, well 

 knowing their duty, while the ploughman moves 

 the iron rist, and the spindle which keeps it in 

 position, to the other side, and moves the road- 

 bat so as to push the coulter aside. These oper- 

 ations are done in a minute, and correspond in 

 some degree to turning the rudder of a ship. The 

 object is that the plough which has been turning 

 the earth one way, shall now (as it is reversed 

 to go downhill) continue to turn it that way. 

 If the change were not effected when the plough 

 was swung round, the furrow would be made 

 opposite. Next he leans heavily on the handles, 

 still standing on the same spot; this lifts the 

 plough, so that it turns easily as if on a pivot. 



Then the oxen "jack round" that is, walk 

 round so as to face downhill, the framework 

 in front turning like the fore-wheels of a car- 

 riage. So soon as they face downhill and the 

 plough is turned, they commence work and make 

 the second furrow side by side with the first. The 

 same operation is repeated at the bottom, and 

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