The long Handle X is [Fig. 13.] long Five Feet Four Inches, broad in the widest Part Four Inches, pinned to the Sheat thro’ the Holes a b, and pinned to the Drock through the Hole c.
The short Handle S is [Fig. 14.] and is long Three Feet Nine Inches, pinned to the hinder Sheat (being [Fig. 15.]) by the Hole a, and to the Top of the Fore-sheat above the Beam by the Hole b.
The Handles are made so long, for the more easy guiding of the Plough; but the lazy Ploughman is apt to cut them off shorter, close up to the Plough, to the end that, bearing his whole Weight thereon, he may in a manner ride instead of walking; but if he should thus ride on long Handles, he would tilt up the Fore-end of the Beam, and raise the Share out of the Ground.
The chief, and most indispensably necessary thing to be observed, is, to place the Four Coulters in such a manner, that the Four imaginary Planes described by the Edges of the Four Coulters, as the Plough moves forwards, be all of them parallel to each other, or very nearly so; for if any one of them should be much inclined to, or recede from, either of the other three, they could not enter the Ground together. In order to place them thus, the Coulter-holes must be made through the Beam, in the manner as they are shewn in [Fig. 3.] viz. the Second Coulter-hole is Two Inches and an half more on the Right than the First, the Third, Two and an half more on the right Hand than the Second, and the Fourth, Two Inches and an half more on the right Hand than the Third, conformable to the Four Incisions or Cuts they are to make in a Ten-inch Furrow: And because no single Beam is broad enough to hold the Four Coulter-holes at this Distance, we are forced to add the Piece shewn in [Fig. 16.] The Second Hole is made Part in the Beam, and Part in this Piece; the Third and Fourth are made wholly in this Piece, in which a, b, c, are the Ends of the Three Screws, which fasten the Piece to the right Side of the Beam by their Nuts.
The Distance of Two Inches and an half, by which each of the Three added Coulters stand more to the right Hand than that immediately behind it, must be reckoned from the Middle of one Hole to the Middle of the other.
The Fore-part of every Hole must incline a little towards the Left; so that the Backs of the Coulters may not bear against the left Side of the Incisions made by the Edges.
Each Hole, being a Mortise, is one Inch and a quarter wide, with its Two opposite Sides parallel from Top to Bottom; each of these Mortises, or Holes, are long at Top Three Inches and an half, and at Bottom Three Inches; the Back-part, or Hinder-end, of each Coulter-hole is not perpendicular, but oblique, and determines the Obliquity of the Standing of the Coulter, which is wedged tight up to it by the Poll-wedge i, [Fig. 1.] as all Coulters are.
[Fig. 17.] Is a Coulter; a b is its Length, being Two Feet Eight Inches, before it is worn; e d is its Edge, Sixteen Inches long; d c is the Length of its Handle, Sixteen Inches; this is made thus long, at first, to stand above the Plough, that it may be driven down lower, according as the Point wears shorter; this Handle is One Inch and Seven Eighths broad, and Seven Eighths of an Inch thick, equally thro’ its whole Length: Its Breadth and Thickness might be described by a rectangled Parallelogram.