The Roman people were excellent farmers, and, of course, attentive to the construction of ploughs; but after the northern nations overran and subjugated all Europe, we do not find that any improvement was at tempted upon husbandry implements till thy seventeenth century, when Blythe and others took the subject under consideration. In one of Blythe's pieces of improle ment, he discovers much knowledge of the several ploughs then used in England ; and demonstrates, in a forcible manner, the best way of making a plough, so that the implement may be easily drawn, w bile the ground is sufficiently worked. By that accurate agri culturist, a correct and minute account of the double plough then used is also given. Many of our readers will remember, that lord Somerville, some years ago, attempted to bring the double plough into fashion ; but few of them perhaps know, that such an implement was 'well known 150 years before his lordship recommended it. We mention these circumstances, not with a view of recommending double ploughs, but entirely to show the knowledge which Blythe possessed of the subject. A double plough can hardly, in any respect, be equal to two swing ploughs of the improved kind. and in many respects is vastly inferior, especially upon clay soils, where the ground is wet, and the ridges acclivated. Upon soft dry lands, a double plough may be employed without loss, though without any benefit to those who itse it, if the comparison is made with well constructed swing ploughs. A great variety of ploughs are used in England, many of them confessedly of the same kinds which have been employed for centuries past, and gene rally worked to the immense loss and disadvantage of those who persist in the use of such implements. The P,otherham plough was the first deviation from the prac tice of ancient times, being a neat, handy, implement, easily worked, and calculated for tilling almost every kind of soil; though still capable of being much im proved, as may afterwards be noticed. This plough is used in most oC the English northern counties; and from being generally calk(' the Dutch plough, we are led to believe must origihal.y have been imported from Hol land. It was first constructed in Yorkshire, by Alr Jo seph Foljambe of Eastwood, in the \Vest Riding, who, in 172o, obtaiiied a patent for the invention, which lie afterwards sold to Mr Stanifurth of Firbeck. This gen tleman for sonic )ears gave liberty to farmers to con struct ploughs, upon paying him 28. 6d. for each; but afterwards attemptmg to raise the premium to 7a. or 7c 6d., the validity of the patent was combated and set aside, on the ground of its nut being for a new invention, but only for a plough improved.
The dimensions and construction of this plough will appear sufficiently evident front the descrip tion, and from Fig. 5. in Plate V.
Front this description, it will appear, that the Rother ham plough differs very much from the old common ploughs; being more lightly and neatly constructed, and having the coulter and share formed and placed so as to raise, and then gradually turn over the new cut furrow much cleaner, and with less resistance than the others. It is not only capable of being worked with two horses abreast, as is common in most counties where it is used, but does the work in a superior way than when three or more horses are yoked in a line, which is a custom too prevalent in many places. The faults of this plough be
long more to the manner in which it is wrought, than to the principles on which it is constructed; for, where the horses are yoked in a line, it is necessary to turn the beam considerably to the furrow, in order to give the plough what is technically called land. Owing to this erroneous way of placing the beam, the horses draw in a contrary direction to the share and coulter, which makes the plough go unsteady; and from the difference be twixt the direction of the draught, and the head on which the share is fixed, the force of the resistance must necessarily be increased, and the be imper fectly performed.
Notwithstanding that the necessity of turning the beans towards the furrow is solely owing to the custom of yoking horses in a line, it may be observed, that, w hen horses arc yoked abreast, the ploughs have all more or less of the same direction. The suck or share is much broader in the point, than is necessary, which makes them difficult to work on gravelly soils, and even in clay, when the ground is di v.
The practice of yoking horses in a line, is truly ab surd. Horses never work so easy, or draw so equal, as when yoked abreast, or in pairs, nor will the work be done well in any other manner; if the ground is in such a situation as not to bear a horse on the unploughed part, it is unfit for labouring, and ought not to he touched. But this cannot be sustained as a reason for this prac tice, as it is customary in many places to employ three horses in a line, sometimes even four, ploughing tender clover leys. The plea of custom and prejudice is well known, and can alone be assigned for such an absurd and unprofitable practice.
'We are clearly of opinion, that every part of plough work may be executed by two good horses, if they are properly maintained. There is no question but where land is hard and stiff, so much work cannot be done in a given time as upon lighter soils. But this argument will have the same weight whatever number of horses are yoked : All we contend for is, that two good horses yoked abreast, in a plough properly constructed, arc able to plough any ground when it is in a proper situation for being wrought.
The Rotherham plough was introduced into Scotland so early as 1730, by a Mr Lomax, or Lummis, who was patronized by the. Society of Scotch Improvers, and was afterwards constructed by a Mr Dalziel, near New Lis ton, in West Lothian ; a person sent, by the great John Earl of Stair, to England, where he was taught, at his lordship's expense, the best and most improved method of constructing ploughs, and other husbandry imple ments. From a plate and explanation annexed to Max well's Collections, it appears, in the clearest manner, that the plough introduced by Mr Lummis was exactly similar to the one used in Yorkshire at this time, which is usually called the Rotherham plough, a description of which is already given. This is evident from Maxwell's plate and explanation.
Fig. 1. Represents the left or land-side of the plough, in which AB is the beam, CD the sheath, EBD the big stilt, FR the little stilt, CH the coulter, Iil the sock or share, NP the bridle, S the slyband, MI- a piece of wood in the place of a head. The figures of all these different parts, as they appear on this side of the plough, are here represented.