Part 36

I had formerly a Drill-Plough for drilling across very high round Ridges for Hand-hoeing, where Horse-hoeing is impracticable: It had no Limbers; but it had little Ground-wrists to make open Chanels, and had Handles behind it, whereby the Driller raised up the Tail of the Plough, when it was passing the Summit of the Ridge. There were neither Funnels nor Trunks; for these would hinder the Seed from falling into the Chanels, both by the Plough’s going up and down the Ridge. The Hopper was drawn by the Plough in such a manner, that in passing all Parts of the Ridge the Wheels were not raised from the Ground: The Chanels were equally supplied with Seed throughout: It planted Four Rows at once, at a Foot asunder. I used this Drill-Plough 30 Years ago in _Oxfordshire_: I have no such Ridges here, nor consequently any Occasion of such an Instrument; and did not make Cuts of it, because it is not useful for Horse-hoeing. I only mention it here for the Benefit of those who have a mind to plant such Ridges regularly with an Engine: I hope their own Reason will enable them to contrive such a Plough, especially now they have the manner of making the Drill, Hopper, _&c._ shewn to them.

I have made a very material Addition to the Hoe-Plough, of _Plate_ 6. _viz._ At the fore End of the Beam _Fig._ 2. is the Hole I, by which alone let the Plough be drawn, leaving out the Hole H; instead of the Hole G make a Mortise, Three or Four Inches long, and as broad as the Thickness of the Iron Pin, the End and Nut of which are seen at C, in _Fig._ 1. This Pin should be more than half an Inch Diameter, and square at that End that goes into the Mortise; let the hinder End of the Mortise just appear behind the Plank, when the Beam is at right Angles with it.

By means of this Mortise there may be many more Holes through the Plank without Danger of splitting into one another the Holes in the Beam, which must answer those in the Plank.

Draw many Lines from the Middle of the foremost Hole of the Plank to the hinder Edge of it, at (suppose) a quarter of an Inch from one another there; and then bore a Hole in that Part of each Line that is least apt to break into the next Hole to it.

Every System of Holes in the Plank will have like Benefit of being increased in their Number by the Convenience of this Mortise; without which it is impossible to have so great Variety of turning the Point of the Share to make the Share go parallel to the Horse-path.

The Board described in _p._ 403. we now use very seldom in Hoeing of Wheat.

_Explanation of Plate_ VII.

_Fig._ 1. shews the Plank and the Harrow of the latest and best Drill-plough, most simple, and accommodated to the present Practice of planting double Rows.

A is the Plank, with all its Mortises and Holes; _b_ is the Mortise into which the Tenon of the fore Sheat of the Drill-plough, for planting treble Rows, was fastened; _d_ is the square Hole for receiving the Seed from a Hole of the same Shape and Size in the Bottom of the Funnel.

When the Sheat is taken out of the Mortise _b_, and another Sheat is made exactly the same with that, place them in the Mortises _a a_, and make the Two square Holes _c c_ behind them, for their Funnels to stand on. Make the Mortise _e_, which is to hold the single Standard that is to hold up the fore Hopper in the treble Drill, and in this to guide the Wheels also, instead of Wreaths, that in the treble Drill are put on the Spindle bearing against the Insides of the double Standards; for in this the Shares being but Ten Inches asunder, and at such a Distance from each of the Wheels, that neither of them doth by rising lift up a Share perceptibly; but if the Shares were wide asunder, or there were more of them reaching nearer to the Ends of the Plank, a Wheel might rise up, and lift a Share out of the Ground, if guided by the single Standard and Hopper, as in this. The single Standard is shewn in _Plate_ 4. _Fig._ 10. but this has no Fork at its Bottom, as that has. This has only a single Tenon, and is shouldered before, behind, and on each Side, to hold it the more firm and steady, when tightly pinned down by Two Pins underneath the Plank. The Dimensions of this Standard are the same with those of the other; but the Shoulders must not increase the Thickness of the Standard any higher than the Tops of the Funnels.

The Four other square Holes, _viz._ _f_ with another behind it, and _g_ with one before it, are for the double Standards, which are to be well shouldered, or braced on the Side of each that is next to the End of the Plank, and on the Outside. There is no need of Shoulder or Brace on the Sides where the Spindle is placed, or on the Side next to the Middle of the Plank.

The Four round Holes _h i k l_ are those thro’ which the Four Pins pass that hold on the Limbers, and the Piece A, in _Fig._ 2. and the other of the same Sort in _Fig._ 4.

_Fig._ 2. and 4. shew how the Harrow’s Leg B is held to the Piece A, by the Pin C. The Letters _a b_ shew the Holes through which the Pins do pass to screw the Piece A up to the Plank, and the Limbers for guiding the Harrow. This Piece A is somewhat longer than the Breadth of the Plank; it is about Two Inches thick, and Two and an half in Depth. The Pin _Fig._ 3. goes through this Piece near the Bottom of its fore End, whereby the Harrow tines have the more room to rise up, without being held down by the Legs pressing against the Plank.

_Fig._ 3. is the Pin C, of _Fig._ 2. _a_ is its Head, _b_ its round Part, whereon the Harrow moves; _c_ is its square Part, that prevents its turning, which by the Motion of the Harrow would unscrew the Nut _d_, and cause it to come off of the Screw _e_, and be lost.

The Harrow is also shewn in _Fig._ 1. as it is guided by the Pieces before described: B is its Head, that holds the Tines D D, drawn by the Legs C C. Tho’ these Legs _in Plano_ seem in their Middle to crook sideways, yet when out of Perspective, their Middles crook only downwards; which is to give the greater Length to the Tines, and the more room for them to move up.

_Fig._ 5. is the Spindle in Three Parts. A is the middle Part, wherein are the Notches _b b_. This is best to be of Oak, or some other hard Wood, in which the Edges of the Notches are less apt to wear than in softer Wood; but I have had a Set that have lasted the Drilling of 120 Acres, when made of Ash. B and C are the Two other Parts: D and E are their Ends, whereon the Wheels are put. The Holes _h h_ _h h_, and the same in the other End under the Letter E, are for setting the Wheels at different Distances, in order for making new Notches, or for different-sized Ridges: The Wheels are held in their Places by long Nails put through some of these Holes, and clenched upon the Iron Stock-bonds to prevent their falling out. These Ends B and C need not be cut to a Square; except just enough to prevent the Wheels from turning on the Spindle.

These Three Parts are grafted together by Help of the hollow Cylinder _Fig._ 6. which, being put on upon the Joint _f_, of the Spindle _Fig._ 5. holds the Parts A and B together by the Two Pins _a a_, passing through the Cylinder near its Ends, and through the Holes _k_ and _g_.

This Joint may be in another manner; _viz._ One Part of the Spindle may enter into the other by cutting it to a square Peg of an Inch long, and ³⁄₄ths Diameter, entering an Hole that fits it, at the End of the other Part.

These Pins will be best to have Screws at their Ends with Nuts to them; and then they need not be so tight in the Holes, and may be the more easily taken out, when the Part B is to be taken off for avoiding Obstructions in drilling an outside Ridge.

The Cylinder is a Foot long, and about half an Inch thick, bound with an Iron Ferrel at each End; and if there were another in the Middle, it might be the stronger.

Place the Cylinder on the Outside of the Spindle, the Joint _f_ being exactly against the Middle of the Cylinder; and mark at each End of it, in order to see when it is in its right Place; and after it is put on and pinned, mark likewise on the Spindle the exact Places of the Holes, for the more easy finding them every Time the Cylinder is put on.

Another Cylinder must be on the Joint _c_, held together by Pins passing thro’ the Holes _i_ and _d_, in the same manner, and for the same Purpose, as the other Joint already described.

The Spindle ought to be of equal Diameter with the Bore of the Seed-boxes, thro’ which it is to pass; but this I find, needs not be quite an Inch and ³⁄₄ths; it may want an 8th of it, even in this long Spindle.

_Fig._ 7. is one of the Pins which hold the Cylinder in its Place, as has been said; _a_ is its Head; _b_ the Stalk, which would be better to be a Screw at its lower End, whereon to screw a Nut; but then the Stalk must be square at the Head.

_Fig._ 8. is a Sheat with its Trunk and Share of the Drill-plough, which has been described in _Plates_ 4. and 5. but the Shape of the Share, as it rises at the Socket, is more plainly seen in this Figure.

_Fig._ 9. is the whole Wheat-drill, which at present I use for planting the double Row. A is the Hopper, rising and sinking on the single Standard B, which holds it up. C is the thing like the Carrier of a Latch, described by _Fig._ 22. in _Plate_ 4. I need say no more for describing this Drill, than to shew how it differs from that described in _Plate_ 4. _viz._ This Hopper has Two of these Carriers, the one near its Top, like the other; and another near its Bottom, which keeps the Plough from rising at either End, without the rising of either End of the Hopper, which is no Inconvenience here; because the Two Shares, being but Ten Inches asunder, are almost the same as one; so that at the Distance the Wheels stand from each other, the rising of one Wheel doth not lift up the Share that is next to it perceptibly; as it would do if the Shares were farther asunder, or the Wheels nearer together.

This Hopper holds twice as much Seed as the single fore Hopper did, _viz._ half a Bushel; and is divided into Two equal Parts by the Partition _e_, whereby the Driller sees whether the Seed is discharged equally; and if he perceives that one Part of the Hopper runs out faster than the other, he must adjust them by the Setting-screws.

The Funnels _a a_, which receive the Seed from the Hopper, and convey it down into the Trunks _c c_, appear under the Hopper, as doth also Part of the Hole _d_, whereon the Funnel stood when the fore Hopper was single. D shews the Cylinder upon the grafted Spindle at one End, as F shews where the other End with its Cylinder and Wheel is taken off. The Ends of the Piece A, which guide the Harrow, appear behind the Plank at _f f_. At _g_ in the Harrow-head is a Hole exactly in the Middle between the Tines, for tying on a Stone when the Harrow is too light for the Soil. _Note_, This Hole must follow exactly after the Middle of the Plank, _i. e._ between the Two Shares at an equal Distance from each.

Observe, that the Legs of this Harrow go thro’ the Head on the Outsides of the Tines, as in the treble Drill they go thro’ on the Inside of the Tines. Instead of the wooden Tines, may be put in common Iron Tines of a proper Length.

The Two Hooks whereby the Plough is drawn are at _h h_. ’Tis best for the Ends of the Hooks to turn upwards, so that the Links of the Chain-traces, that are to be put on them, may not be apt to drop off. Take care that these Traces be of an equal Length, which may be easily made even by the Links that are put on these Hooks.

_Note_, The Links of the Piece of Chain, whereby the Plough is made to go deeper or shallower, may be very small, and by no means in the Proportion they bear to the Limbers in the Cut. There need not be above Four or Five Links. If there be occasion to raise or sink the Limbers more than that Number will reach, the Cord may be tied longer or shorter on the other Limber. And when there is not the Convenience of Chain-traces, they may be supplied by a few Iron Links at the Ends of Hempen Traces.

_Fig._ 10. is the Shape of a wooden Wreath, which (when the Shares stand wider asunder, or when there are more than Two of them, so that they come nearer to the Ends of the Plank, this Wreath) is necessary to be put on the Spindle, the End _a_ bearing against the Inside of the double Standards, and the End _b_ being towards the Hopper. ’Tis fixt to the Spindle by the Screw _c_, which should not enter the Spindle above half an Inch deep. There may be another like Screw to enter in the same manner on the opposite Side of this Wreath. There must be in this case another Wreath the same of this to bear against the other double Standards. And when these Wreaths are used, the Hopper must have only the upper Carrier C; the lower one must be taken off. But in this our Drill for planting Wheat, no Wreaths must be on the Spindle, except those at _b b_, which are to hold the Hopper from moving endways. And these may be of the Sort above described, the End _a_ bearing against the Hopper.

_Fig._ 11. is the Beam of the Hoe-plough described in _Plate_ VI. _Fig._ 2. with no other Alteration than leaving out the Hole H, and the pricked Line between it and the Hole I; and changing the Hole G into a Mortise. The pricked Line _a b_ represents the hinder Edge of the Plank, behind which appears a very small Part of a Mortise. See _p._ 415, 416.

_Fig._ 12. is the Plank, which is _Fig._ 3. in _Plate_ VI. The Improvement of it in this Figure is described in _p._ 415, 416.

_An_ Appendix _to Chap._ IX. _of_ Wheat, _p._ 138. _containing_ Memoranda _for the Practisers of this_ Husbandry.

At the Second Hoeing the Plough goes in the Furrow of the First, making it deeper, and nearer to the Wheat. The Third Hoeing fills up this Furrow; and then, at the Fourth Hoeing, the Plough goes in the same Place as the Second, turning the Mould into the Interval. ’Tis remarkable that though the Furrows of the Second and Fourth Hoeings be deep, and near to the Rows, seeming to deprive the Wheat of the Mould which should nourish it, whereby one would imagine, that these Furrows lying long open should weaken or starve it; yet it is just the contrary; for it grows the more vigorous: And it is the Observation of my Ploughmen, that they cannot at these Hoeings go too near to the Rows, unless the Plough should tear out the Plants.

If I may presume to assign the Cause of this surprising Effect, it is, in my Opinion, the following; _viz._ This open Furrow has a double Surface of Earth, which by the _Nitre_ of the contiguous _Atmosphere_, is pulverized to a great Degree of Minuteness near the Row. The Roots that the Plough cuts off on the perpendicular Side of the Furrow, send out new Fibres to receive the _Pabulum_ from this new-made Pasture; and also Part of this superfine Powder is continually falling down into the Bottom of the Furrow, and there gives a very quick Growth to those Roots that are next it, and a quick Passage through it into the Earth of the Interval, where they take likewise the Benefit of the other Side of this pulverized Furrow. When it is said, that Air kills Roots, it must not be understood, that it kills a Plant, unless all, or almost all, its Root is exposed to it, as it is not in this Case. Some think there are Roots that run horizontally below the Plough into the Interval; but of this I am not convinced.

’Tis not often that we hoe above Four times; and then the Furrow is turned towards the Row at the Third time only.

There being no Danger from these Furrows lying long open, we are not confined to any precise Distance between the times of Hoeing, for which we need only regard the Weather, the Weeds, and our own Convenience of Opportunity and Leisure.

’Tis an Advantage when these Furrows lie open on each Side of the double Row till Harvest; for then there need only Two Furrows to be plowed on a Ridge to throw down the Partition in order for planting the next Crop; but if at the last Hoeing the Furrows are turned towards the Row, they must be plowed back again after Harvest before the Partition can be plowed: This requires double the time of the other; and the sooner the Partitions are plowed, the more time they will have to be pulverized before they are replanted. Indeed this Advantage is only when the Rows are to be planted where they were the Year before; for this is rather a Disadvantage when they are to be planted in the Intervals. Whether these Furrows lying long open next the Rows in very hot dry Climates may be prejudicial, cannot be known, but by Trials.

As from the external Superficies of an Acre of Pasture on a rich Soil, Animals take more _Pabulum_ than of an Acre on a poor Soil; so Vegetables take more _Pabulum_ from the internal Superficies of a rich Acre than of a poor one; the Pulveration, or Superficies of Parts, being equal. _See_ p. 44, 45. From whence there is no Encouragement for making Trials on very poor Land.

’Tis no great Matter whether the Rows are drilled on the Partitions, or the Intervals; for the Crops of a Field, Four Years successively drilled on the Partitions, were very good. After the Partitions had been plowed, and lain open till the Weather made them pulverizable by the Harrows, and then turned together by Furrows larger than those which opened them, much Earth of the Intervals was mixed with them. This is the strongest and lowest Ground I have; and if there should be much wet Weather after Harvest, it is so long in drying, that we take the first Opportunity the Weather allows for planting the Wheat, which is generally done in the above manner, because it is the shortest; but, without some such Reason to the contrary, I prefer planting the Rows on the precedent Intervals.

My Field, whereon is now the Thirteenth Crop of Wheat, has shewn that the Rows may successfully stand upon any Part of the Ground. The Ridges of this Field were for the Twelfth Crop, changed from Six Feet to Four Feet Six Inches: In order for this Alteration, the Ridges were plowed down, and the whole Field was plowed cross-ways of the Ridges for making them level; and then the next Ridges were laid out the same way as the former, but One Foot Four Inches narrower; and the double Rows drilled on their Tops, whereby of consequence there must be some Rows standing on every Part of the Ground, both on the former Partitions, and on every Part of the Intervals: Notwithstanding this, there was no manner of Difference in the Goodness of the Rows, and the whole Field was in every Part of it equal, and the best, I believe, that ever grew on it. It has now the Thirteenth Crop, likely to be very good, tho’ the Land was not plowed cross-ways.

The proper Times for Plowings and Hoeings depending upon the Weather, and other Circumstances, cannot be directed but by the Reason and Experience of the Practiser, as has been said.

The Number of Ridges being increased, as their Breadth is now diminished, occasions somewhat the more Plough-work, we likewise use more Handwork than formerly; but the Profit of this increased Labour is more than double to the Expence of it.

The Decline of the Woolen Manufacture furnishes us at this time with Plenty of Hand-hoers and Weeders; because they can earn much more by working in the Field than by Spinning at home.

’Tis better to make Fifteen Ridges on an Acre, than to leave any Earth unmoved by the Hoe-plough in the Middle of the Intervals; but when Ploughmen, by Practice, understand well to use the Hoe-plough, they will plow the Intervals clean, tho’ the Ridges are only Fourteen on an Acre.

Bearded Wheat is in this Country called _Cone_, and that which has no Beard _Lammas_. I observed formerly the Bread of _White-cone_ had a little yellowish Cast, which I now suspect was from the Mill-stones; for I have seen it be very white these many Years, since the Millers know better how to grind this Wheat. Cone wheat Westwards yields Six-pence a Bushel more than _Lammas_; but towards _London_ the contrary.

The Reasons why a whole Field of Wheat doth not produce a Crop equal in proportion to a Yard or Perch cut, rubbed out, and weighed immediately upon the Spot, may be, because the Grain of the Field lying to sweat in the Mow, loses considerably of its Weight and Measure. There is also some lost in the Field by Reapers, and by Leasers; and some is by Threshers thrown out of the Barn; and some of them are found to have Contrivances to carry home with them at Night, Part of the Wheat they thresh in the Day. I say nothing of those Thieves, who in Harvest rob the Field in the Dark; tho’ they are not very uncommon.

I missed of making my proposed Experiment of the single Row, after I had prepared for it by plowing out one of the double in several Places for that Purpose; but, in the Hurry of Harvest, they were cut together with the rest, without making any Trial; as should have been made, if my Illness had not prevented my Attendance in the Field at the time of Reaping.

The Practice and Instruments that are left off for better in their room, as the Quadruple and Treble Rows, _&c._ are still useful to be shewn, in order to deter others from going into an inferior Method that is now exploded; for some might think it an Improvement of the double Rows, _&c._ by their own Invention, if they should not know it had been already tried.

INDEX.

_Artificial_ Pasture of Plants exceeds the Natural, p. 27, _&c._ _Atmosphere_, by Rain and Dews, reimburses the pulverized Earth, 70, 127

B

_Barley_, a hoed Plant of it produced Fifty large Ears, 65 Barley drilled on Ridges must be reaped, 63 But needs not be bound up in Sheaves, _ibid._ Barley is the worse for Seed by being sown at _Patney_, 240 _Blight_, the true Causes of it, 144, _&c._ Remedies against the Blight, 149, _&c._ _Breast-Plough_ insufficient for Tillage of strong turfy Land, 284

C

_Change_ of Species of Plants not necessary on account of different Nourishment, 217, _&c._ Change of the Individuals of some Species of Plants, why useful, 239 _Clover_, Broad, a Damage to Barley when sown amongst it, 188 A Remedy against it, _ibid._ _Cytisus_, why it cannot be so great an Improvement in _England_ as St. Foin, 172

D

_Dung_, in what manner ’tis beneficial, 29, _&c._ Dung is the Putrefaction of Earth altered by Vessels, 31 It may afford some Warmth in Winter, but is sometimes injurious by its Hollowness, 34 A considerable Quantity of Dung is necessary to the Old Husbandry, but not to the New, 33 Dung, when reduced by a thorough Putrefaction, is next to nothing, 275 Why Dung is not injurious to Corn, _&c._, 33 Dung, why more beneficial to Turneps than to other Plants, 88 Gross Dung, why it should be prohibited the Kitchen-Garden, 30, _&c._

E