166 Report on Trials of Plows. 



well; they get, or rather their master gets, beyond the former 

 three-quarters of an acre, two-quarters more plowed for nothing. 

 It is true that the horses have to walk a greater distance in one 

 case, but this cannot be of much consequence. In plowing an 

 acre, with the furrow nine inches wide, the horse has to walk in 

 the furrow eleven miles exactly. If, then, he plow three-quarters 

 of an acre in a day, he has to walk eight and one-quarter miles 

 only; if five-quarters, he must pass over thirteen and three- 

 quarters miles — but five and a half miles more than before. The 

 increased rate of the animal's exertion has also, of course, a great 

 effect upon the fatigue of its frame, where the difference is con- 

 siderable. But I suppose that each animal has, in some degree, 

 a natural pace, suited to its conformation, which is most easy to 

 it, and that the quicker rate of two and three-quarters miles in 

 the hour may be as natural to the Clydesdale horse as a more 

 tardy Avalk to cart-horses of our heavy breeds. Still I do not 

 wish to assert that, under all circumstances, it is as easy for a 

 horse to move quickly as slowly with a heavy draught. If he be 

 overweighted, he will not have sufl^cient strength to spare for 

 carrying on his own weight with ease, and will naturally flag at 

 his task. 



" In order to move briskly, he ought, I suppose, to feel in some 

 degree master of his work, and be able, if required, to draw 

 something more than his actual load. I ought also to mention, 

 after stating the superior exertions which the horse may be called 

 on to make, that these Clydesdale horses of Lord Moreton's are 

 not only fed in a superior manner, but that their day's work is 

 broken into two portions of time, between which they have rest, 

 and either return home to be fed or are supplied by means of 

 nose-bags, with corn, in the field. I believe that the practice of 

 working horses for eight hours together not only adds to their 

 fatigue, but that the absence of food for so long a time must be 

 a much more severe privation to them (as to all animals feeding 

 on grass and seeds only) than it is to the carniverous animals and 

 to ourselves." 



