History of the Plow. 65 



line. If the slice were a solid substance, this line, E K, would l)c 

 all that is required to turn it in its proper position ; but as the 

 soil is generally loose, and would crumble in pieces, a support 

 must be given to it b}'^ a surface at least as wide as the slice. 

 This surface is generated by drawing lines from different points 

 of D C at right angles to the line and meeting the line K E. 



CHAPTER IV. 



AMERICAN PLOWS. 

 HISTORY OF THE PLOW— Continued. 



We now turn to the history of the plow in this country. 

 Until the beginning of the present century the plows used were 

 most deplorable implements, fabricated by the most careless and 

 unintelligent mechanics, scarcely any two being made alike. We 

 cannot find, and we have never seen or heard of, a single plow 

 having been made on the principle laid down by Mr. Jefterson in 

 his day, except those made by himself; in fact the existence of 

 his method was hardly known in this country until within quite 

 a recent period, although it was well known and much talked of 

 in Europe. 



Mr. A. B. Allen, in the Transactions of the New York State 

 Agricultural Society for 1856, thus describes the primitive 

 methods of the plow-makers in this country in the early part 

 of the present century : 



" A winding tree was cut down, and a mould-board hewed from 

 it, with the grain of the timber running so nearly along its shape 

 as it could well be obtained. On to this mould-board, to prevent 

 its wearing out too rapidly, were nailed the blade of an old hoe, 

 thin straps of iron, or worn-out horse shoes. The land side was 

 of w^ood, its base and sides shod with thin plates of iron. The 

 share was of iron, with a hardened steel point. The coulter was 

 tolerably well made of iron, steel edged, and locked into the 

 share nearly as it does in the improved lock coulter plow of the 

 present day. The beam was usually a straight stick. The handles, 

 like the mould-board, split from the crooked trunk of a tree, or 

 as often cut from its l)ranches ; the crooked roots of the white 

 ash were the most favorite timber for plow handles in the northern 

 3 



