Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 3, 1802).djvu/429

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quence of a challenge given to Lord Somerville. The quantity of land, till then in a state of nature, amounted to 17 1/2 statute acres, and was worked by this implement, four Devonshire oxen (six years old), and a man, with a boy as driver, in six days and four hours. The cattle were in good condition when they commenced the task; after the accomplishment of which, they appeared in better order than before. They were allowed no corn; consumed every day, upon an average, about 40lbs. of hay, during their continuance at Kew; and worked eight hours each day, including half an hour for bait.—The land, thus tilled, was viewed by many gentlemen and able agriculturists, who highly approved of it, and were induced to order numbers of these ploughs; which, we trust, will soon be generally adopted.

The two-furrow plough has, indeed, been introduced into some of the midland counties, where it is employed with five horses and one man, in tolerably level soils, which it divides as effectually as two single ploughs.—It is also used, together with the single-wheel plough, in Staffordshire; as it requires only a lad to drive the horses, and to turn the plough at the end of the furrow.—For breaking up the turf, an iron flay is screwed to the coulter; by which the sward is cut off, and turned into the furrow, so as to be covered with earth. Thus, by the aid of an additional horse, the soil will resemble a fallow, and may be harrowed with equal facility.

The latest British plough, which merits particular notice, is that invented by Mr. J. Turner, jun. of Bockleton, Warwickshire; and of which the following figure will convey an accurate idea:

A, The iron at the end of the beam, to which the horses are

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hooked;