400 



SCIENCE OF AGRICULTURE. 



Part II. 



has a wheel (a) which cuts the turf, instead of a coulter ; a broad flat share which 



raises it, with a sharp fin or turned-up <-. 



part at the extremity (c), which cuts ^ 



the turf on that side, thus turning it 



over in slices about a foot broad and 



two inches deep. There is a foot (b) 



from the forepart of the beam, which 



serves to prevent the share from going 



too deep. 



2639. Clarke's draining plough (Jig. 

 314.) was found to answer well in 

 meadow ground near Belford in Northumberland, but could not be drawn in stiff clay 



"" 314 with the force of eight horses. 



2640. Gray's draining plough (Jig. 

 315.) seems one of the best. The beam 

 is strongly fortified with iron, and is 

 always kept at a proper distance from 

 the surface of the ground, and also the 

 depth of the drain regulated by two wheels (a a) which turn on an iron axle, and 

 roll upon the surface on 

 each side of the drain. 

 The middle coulter Is made 

 to cut perjjendii niarly ; 

 consequently, the sii'e coul- 

 ters will cut the two sides of 

 the drain at an equal slope. 

 When this machine is at 

 work, the earth of the 

 drain is cut in the middle 

 by the foremost coulter, 

 and on each side by the 

 other two coulters. Then 

 the sharp point of the share 

 will cut up that earth 

 from its bed, and, as the 

 machine advances, it must 

 ascend on the surface of 

 the inclined plane ; at the same time, the fore-ends of the mould-boards, following 

 in the track of the middle coulter, will divide the slice of earth, as it rises, into 

 two equal parts, turning these parts gradually to each side ; and, as the back-ends of the 

 mould-boards extend farther than the breadth of the drain above, the portion of earth so 

 raised will be placed upon the firm ground, leaving the drain quite open. The frame 

 into which the axle is fixed may easily be either raised up or depressed, as the drain is to 

 be cut deep or shallow ; and the two outside coulters can easily be placed more or less 

 oblique, so as to cut the sides of the drain at a greater or less slope, as may be found 

 necessary. {Gray's Implements, ^c. 4to.) 



2641. Morton's draining plough {Jig- 316.) has three coulters (a a b), two mould- 

 boards (c c), and one shzire (d). The mould-boards have an inclined plane, formed upon 



316 



each {e e), which rises from the share backwards to such a height above the level of the 

 sole as the drain is required to be made deep. The middle coulter separates the soil to 

 be lifted into two parts, and each part is raised to the surface by the inclined planes on 

 the mould- boards. The usual dimensions of the diain so formed are 10 or 12 inches 

 deep, 8 or 9 inches wide at bottom, and 14 or 15 inches wide at top ; but the construction 

 may be adapted to a smaller or a larger drain, or for cleaning out drains already made. 



