BERKSHIRE SOCIETY. 115 



turfs ; and our British ancestors, according to the old agricultu- 

 ral poet Tussen, provided themselves with 



" A plough maul and plough staff to further the plough, 

 Great clods to asunder that breakelh so rough." 



The earliest hint, which gave birth to the primeval idea of 

 constructing such an implement as the plough, was perhaps 

 suggested by the well-known form and favorite employment of 

 the proboscis of the swine ; for the celebrated Jethro Tull, who 

 took much pains to investigate the early history of this imple- 

 ment, observes, that it was probably found out by accident, and 

 that the first ploughers of the ground were hogs. Certainly one 

 would be disposed to think that a regard to economy would 

 have led the ancients to employ this animal, not only instead of 

 their hoggish plough, but also of their team, and its driver to 

 boot. 



From about the beginning of the 16th century, the plough 

 began to undergo progressive, but gradual modifications. But 

 it was reserved for the present age of science to give to this, as 

 well as to almost every other form of labor-saving machinery, 

 that degree of perfection which seems to render hopeless any 

 further attempt at improvement. And it is a fact in the annals 

 of agriculture in which the American ploughboy may well in- 

 dulge an honest pride, that the first declaration of those correct, 

 scientific principles which ought to govern the construction of 

 the plough, was made by an American President, the never to 

 be forgotten author of the Declaration of American Independence. 



May American independence never cease, not only to bless, 

 but to characterize the American farmer ; and, though fluctuating 

 prices may sometimes compel him to exclaim with honest old 

 Tussen, 



" What charge and pain, 



To little gain, 



Doth follow toiling plough ! " 



may he ever be able, in view of the many peculiar advantages 

 of agricultural life, to adopt the conclusion also of the same 

 quaint author — 



