PLOWING- THREE ABREAST. The using of four horses in heavy plowing, by attaching one pair before the other, is going out of general use, for the reason that it has been found in practice that three horses or mules working abreast or beside each other, accomplish about as much work, and do it more easily for the team and driver, than can be done by the old-fash ioned way of hitching them before each other. Very many farmers, however, do not receive this modern innovation with favor, because they have not learned the proper manner of making the whiffietrees, and adjusting the driving-lines, and the draft of the plow. In plowing with four horses, two abreast, the forward horses, drawing in a nearly horizontal line, exert a large• portion of their strength at a disadvantage not. only to themselves, but also to the team immedi ately behind them. The disadvantage in plow ing three abreast is that the middle horse is apt to be sweated unduly in hot weather by contact with the outside horses, but the evil is more than counterbalanced by the gain in power. The most simple attachment and the one in most common use is a draw-bar, having its clevis or draft-clip one-third of the way from the end to. which the double-trees are to be attached. To the other end a single-tree is attached by a chain long enough to bring it in line with the single trees attached to the double trees at the other end. The whole should he of such a length as will bring the middle horse immediately in front of the plow-beam. Various patented three-horse trees are before the public, all more or less com plicated, but the one here described is simple and within the reach of all. Mules work admi
rably three abreast, and in their case the draw bars and the whiffie-trees may be very much shortened, since they will work much closer than horses without danger of overheating. The most simple way of driving them is by means of a single line attached to the outside bits of the near and off horse, tying their heada_ together at suitable intervals by the bits. This.. will do if the team and driver are both steady and reliable. But perhaps a better plan is to hitch the team drawing upon the double tree, as is commonly done for two horses. Then pass check-line from the outside bit of the third horse. through the hame-ring, and attach it to the main or driving line of the middle horse. It should be about eight inches longer than the ordinary check or cross rein. Another method is to. attach two single lines to the middle horse, hav ing shorter reins from the near and the off horse passing to the same bit, so that each shall. bear alike. The near check-lines of the outside horses should then be attached to the near main line of the center horse, and the off or right-hand ' check of the outside horses should be fastened to the off-side main line of the center horse. Of course, in plowing with three horses or mules abreast, the plow must be so adjusted that the line of draft will be immediately behind the middle horse.