82 
The Farming of Cheshire. 
tions in the field, perhaps fifty miles from the place of manufac- 
ture. It would be well if some means were devised for testing 
implements before they are sent out, as such a practice would not 
only be a check upon the men employed in their construction, 
but the result would be more creditable to the manufacturer, and 
certainly much more satisfactory to the purchaser. 
Turnip scarifiers are much improved : those most in use are 
made by Harks of Mere, and Wood of Knutsford, nearly all of 
which are of wrought iron, and are worked by one horse to each, 
except in extreme cases. 
Extracts from letters relating to implements : — 
From the Hundred of Eddisbury : — 
" Implements have been much improved within the last few years, and 
several new ones have been introduced, viz., Scotch iron ploughs, grubbers, 
scarifiers, and harrows made on a better plan, by giving more room be- 
tween the pins : with such implements as these the land may be much 
more efficiently worked than with the old wooden ones ; but yet some of 
the farmers persevere in the use of the latter." 
From the Hundred of Macclesfield: — 
" I have of late years tried the subsoil plough, and with good efTect." 
From the Hundred of Bucklow : — 
" Iron ploughs are coming very generally into use, from their superior 
work. Ploughing abreast is getting into favour, because a driver is saved, 
the horses travel better together, are nearer to their work, and perform it 
more effectually. Horses only are used in drawing, no oxen." 
From the Hundred of Wirral : — 
" Implements vary in almost every parish of this district. The plough 
varies in size, shape, and make, just as the located wheelwright fancies he 
pleases his customers by new shapes or sizes of implements. Little can be 
said in praise of any I have seen, and little will be said till the ploughman 
can do his day's work without a driver." 
A second correspondent from the Hundred of Eddisbury says — 
" Upon the clay-lands it formerly excited no surprise to see four horses 
drawing a plough, and even now three are commonly used ; but these 
practices are giving way to the use of the plough drawn by two horses 
abreast ; and, with a few necessary exceptions, I have no doubt that in a 
few more years Cheshire will be entirely cultivated with the 'two-horse 
plough,' which prejudice among the older farmers has hitherto, in many 
cases, prevented. Probably to the limited state of drainage on the clay- 
lands of this county, may be attributed in part the neglect of the 'two- 
horse plough ;' for where the soil is so much saturated, it becomes so very 
adhesive, that it is as laborious for three or more horses to draw a plough 
on such land, as for two horses on the same soil when well drained." 
There are a few corn-drills in the county, but at present their 
number is very limited : the Suffolk drill, with eight coulters, and 
worked by two horses, is most in favour. 
Several hay-making machines have of late been brought into 
the Hundred of Eddisbury. They are worked with a single 
