No. 244.] 329 



passage through it, requiring more force to effect this and doing the 

 work very imperfectly. The Rotherham plough obviated much, 

 some of these defects, by a better adjustment and symmetry of its 

 parts The next improvement of importance was effected about 25 

 years after by Small of Berwickshire and called the chain 'plough. 

 It received its name from the chain upon which the strain of draught 

 fell whenever it met with any uncommon obstacle, and thus the size 

 and weight of its beam could be materially reduced. This however 

 was among the least of its great merits. By attaching a feather 

 edge to the sock or share of such projection as to cut the bottom of 

 the furrow the whole width, by contracting both the length and 

 breadth of the sole, by giving the mould-board a waving or curved 

 line, it lessened greatly the friction and improved much the execu- 

 tion of the work. On all light soils, it will perform easily with two 

 horses, upwards of an acre a day, and form a more even and regu- 

 lar furrow. Before its introduction a pair of horses and one yoke of 

 oxen were considered as indispensable to the drawing of the one in 

 common use ; and often six animals were employed with a driver. 

 Thus the expense of cultivation was overloaded with a useless bur- 

 den of implements, cattle, and men. 



Small's plough has triumphed over all opposition, and has been 

 generally adopted in Great Britain. At first it was constructed of 

 wood and iron and weighed altrgether about 75 lbs: but latterly 

 it has been constructed entirely of iron, and its firmness and dura- 

 bility thereby greatly increased, without much increase of weight ; 

 it is very easily repaired, and if kept under cover will last a long 

 time. There is a species of plough considerably used of late in 

 England and Scotland, and formed on the small model, called the 

 Miner, and by some the Svb-Soil Plovgh, which is intended to deep- 

 en the furrow and stir the earth without throwing it up to the sur- 

 face. When used in this way it usually follows in the track of 

 another and always without the mould-board, it has much strength 

 and requires a strong team to pierce and tear up the hard crust 

 which is apt to be found in most sub-soils 12 or 14 inches beneath 

 the surface, with all roots and common sized stones. When the 

 sub-soil is intended to be brought to the surface, the mould-board 

 must be attached, it then serves the double purpose of deepening the 

 furrow and bringing up the fresh earth to the surface ', and in some 

 soils, a strong team will be sufficient without being preceded by an- 

 other plough. The old Yorkshire or Rotheram plough, combining 

 with it some of Small's improvements is still consi(Jerably used in 

 England and in some districts of Scotland. It continues to be built 



