English Agricultural Society. 



Ixvii 



Messrs. Ransome also exhibited a variety of other ploughs^ of 

 superior construction, amongst others a Bedfordshire plough with 

 wheels^ to which is attached a lever for enabling the ploughman 

 to regulate the depth of the land-wheel while the plough is in 

 motion. A Belgian plough for turning up turf-land : it has a 

 wide share and concave breast^ which is as wide as the wing of 

 the share, and has a gradual rise for a few inches and then turns 

 over rather suddenly. A double -fur row j^lougk, originally in- 

 vented by Lord Somerville, but now greatly improved upon : it 

 is in general use in some parts of Lincolnshire ; it does its work 

 very effectively, and in ordinary cases produces a saving of a man 

 and horse for two acres. The Rutland plough with wheels, in- 

 vented by Mr. Baker, of Cottesmore, is of very simple construc- 

 tion, and light of draught ; and the Rackheath ploughs, for sub- 

 soiling light land, as well as one for stirring the soil under the 

 sod in turf-land, both invented and extensively used by Sir 

 Edward Stracey, attracted very considerable attention. 



Mr. Hart, of Wantage, exhibited some very clever swing and 

 wheel ploughs ; one also by Mr. Howard, of Bedford, of small 

 size, with a mould-board of an excellent form, calculated to give 

 the least resistance in turning over the furrow, was much ap- 

 proved. A plough, made by Roberts, of Warwick, seemed well 

 calculated to plough light soils, and at the same time to stir the 

 subsoil to a depth of 2 or 3 inches, by means of 2 coulters 

 placed in the beam, the one in the furrow before, and the other 

 in the furrow behind, the plough. Messrs. Hannam of Burcett, 

 Davis of Oxon, J. Adams of Great Tew, Russell of Kenil- 

 worth, and King of Buckland, exhibited ploughs of various 

 construction. 



A plough, on an entirely new principle, was show^n by John 

 Le Boutillier, of Jersey. Its object is to raise potatoes, and 

 separate them from the soil, casting them clear of the furrow. It 

 is effected by a succession of paddles, worked nearly at right angles 

 to the mould-board, varying in the speed and force of its revo- 

 lutions according to the pace of the horses. This implement was 



