Tlw Farming of Cheshire. 
81 
Implements in Use. 
In this county, where the arable land is limited in extent, the 
variety of implements applied to agricultural operations is perhaps 
not so great as in many other districts ; within the last ten years, 
however, some of a superior description have been introduced, 
among which those particularly deserving of notice are the iron 
ploughs, the subsoil-plough, the Uley-cultivator, Finlayson's harrow, 
the twin-harrow, various iron harrows, turnip scarifiers, corn-drills, 
bay-making machines, a furrow- presser, and an improved instru- 
ment for water- furrowing clay-land pastures. The iron ploughs, 
which were scarcely known in Cheshire ten years ago, are now in 
general use in the best farmed districts. They principally consist 
of those manufactured by Wilkie, West, Harks of Mere, and 
Wood of Knutsford : the two former Scotch, the latter two Che- 
shire. Wooden ploughs of an improved construction are also 
employed on the southern and western sides of the county, each 
district having its favourite. Ploughing with two horses abreast 
is now almost invariably the practice, where the iron plough is 
used ; except in very wet soils, and then three horses in length 
are employed. 
Among the scarifiers or cultivators now in use, in addition to 
the old cl umsy ones, which are almost entirely discarded, are the 
Uley, Finlayson's, and one of a very useful kind, w hich is made of 
wrought iron, is most effective in its operations, and from its simple 
construction not liable to get out of order : it requires four horses 
to work it on light land, and five on the heavy soils. It may be 
put to any depth required, and is regulated by chains attached to 
a frame (as per Drawing No. 2). This implement was originally 
brought from the county of Stafford, but it has been much im- 
proved by a common blacksmith in the Hundred of Eddisbury in 
Cheshire. 
The Uley cultivator has only been introduced very recently : 
one gentleman in the Hundred of Broxton speaks highly of it, 
and generally uses only two horses in working it. 
Finlayson's harrow, from some cause or another, is not in such 
good repute as when first introduced. 
It is too frequently the case, that when inventors have at much 
pains brought an implement to something like perfection, and 
have exhibited good specimens at an agricultural meeting, they 
become careless about the manufacture of them ; and with a view 
of offering a cheap article to the public, and at the same time 
securing a certain profit to themselves, they have a number made 
by piece-work, which is often indifferently executed, and bad iron 
or other lyiaterial is used ; but being neatly painted before sent 
out, the defects are not discovered until put to its destined opera- 
VOL. V. G 
