PLOUGHING. 127 



The ploughman often drives himself, when ploughing with a 

 single, well-trained yoke of oxen ; but when more than one 

 yoke is required, a driver is necessary. Hoys arc sometimes 

 employed, restless, peevish, and ill tempered, and entirely unfit 

 for the business, not having half the discretion of the oxen 

 themselves. 



They can shout haw ! and gee-up ! and flourish the whip and 

 use the goad to perfection. The well-trained and sensible an- 

 imals, not used to such company, fret and miss the furrow as 

 the lash is inaptly and untimely applied ; and, as a consequence, 

 the land is badly ploughed, and the animals injured. The lash, 

 and the goad to the backs of such boys, say we, and a good 

 discretionary driver for the oxen. 



Finally, it requires an experienced and skilful ploughman 

 in order that the work be well and properly done. It actually 

 does require tact and experience to guide the plough hand- 

 somely and to turn a furrow cleverly. Other things being 

 equal, afresh and & green hand and an old, well-trained plough- 

 man will produce very different results. 



Width of furrow, depth, completeness in turning the sod, 

 proportionate width and evenness of all the furrows, — all these 

 receive the attention of the experienced ploughman ; and when 

 his labors are finished he beholds his field with honest pride 

 a beautiful triumph of the plough and the laborer's skill. 



The above requirements are positively necessary and essen- 

 tial to a well-ploughed field. There are other collateral cir- 

 cumstances and things of minor consequence that ought to 

 receive attention. The plough should be kept in good order, 

 and free from soil, rust, and corrosion. A rough, unsmooth 

 plough turns a furrow badly, and requires more power to oper- 

 ate it. Ploughs should be kept housed, well cleaned, and pol- 

 ished, and then they will be fit for use. 



They should always be supplied with a proper point. Some 



farmers use a plough until the point is worn out and as blunted 



as a miser's conscience, and it is impossible for them to do 



work even moderately well. This is poor economy, and smacks 



of bad calculation and want of judgment. Fifty cents for a 



new point, as often a3 the old one ceases to do well, is money 



well applied. 



David Rice, Chairman. 



