t '46 ] 



on in a field for some years, the field begins to have a wavy 

 appearance, the hollows being ' open-furrows ' and the 

 elevated portions * crowns.' 



(4) 'Scattering/ 'Splitting' or 'Scaring' is the name 

 given to the system of ploughing in which the horses always 

 turn away from the crown. 



(5) ' Peering ' is the marking out of land for the first time 

 into sections, or units of tilth, by means of ' feering poles/ 

 indicating where the future ' crowns ' are to be. The width is 

 fixed upon by the foreman or the first ploughman, a width of 

 either 33 ft. or 66 ft. being chosen. Narrow width (i6J ft. or 

 33 ft.) involving close ridges, is best suited for stiff clay lands 

 inclined to be wet and which are benefited by surface drainage, 

 A feering-pole is 8J ft. i.e. \ a perch in length. Four or more 

 feering-poles are used when a field is brought under plough 

 for the first time or where no ridges and open furrows are 

 observable for some reason (e.g. after harvesting .a green 

 crop), or where the old ridges are not to be kept up. In very 

 old fields which have been long under plough lines of the 

 old ' open-furrows ' are followed to replace them by * crowns,' 

 ' gathering ' being done round and round the ' open-furrows ' 

 instead of the crowns. This serves to keep the crowns down 

 as low as possible. The two first slices are also cut thinner 

 than the rest to keep down the crown. 



187. Method of ploughing. It is along the future crown 

 that the feering poles are set up. The line along the poles 

 is first ploughed up ( to get all the land moved ), first one way 

 and then in the reverse way, so that a double furrow is left at 

 the crown and the two slices turned one one way and the other 

 the other way. In setting up the feering-poles half the 

 distance desirable between two ridges is measured from the 

 end of the field, and the feering poles set along this distance. 

 The line along the poles is ploughed as described, and then 

 the poles removed to the full distance between two ridges. 

 This line along the poles where they are removed, is also 



