[Plate 6. Fig. 1.] is the Hoe-Plough in a side View. A is the Beam and Plough-tail, being much the same with that of the common Plough described in [Fig. 1. of Plate 1.] The Beam of such a common Plough, being cut off, and screwed up to this Plank, and its Limbers, might make a Hoe-Plough. The Share of this, from its Tail to the fore Part of its Socket, is Two Feet One Inch long, and from thence to the End of the Point, Ten Inches and an half: This is the Measure of the under Side of the Share. B is the Plank, Two Feet Seven Inches and an half long, Two Inches and an half thick, and Nine Inches broad. C, D, are the Nuts of the Two Screw-pins, which hold up the Beam to the Plank. E is the Nut of the Draw-pin, which Pin has a Crook underneath, whereto one of the Links of the short Chain of the Whipper is fastened for drawing the Plough; the only Use of this Nut is, to hold the Pin from dropping out by its own Weight, and that of the Chain and Whipper; but often, to avoid the Trouble of screwing and unscrewing the Nut, we supply its Use by a square Pin a little bigger than the Hole, which we drive up by an Hammer, so tight, that it may not drop out of itself; but can easily be driven out by a few Blows of the Hammer, as often as it is necessary to remove it into another Hole. F, G, are the Two Limbers; they are screwed on to the Plank by Four Screws and Nuts: The under Surface of the Limbers by their whole Length are parallel to the Plank, and to the upper Surface of the fore End of the Beam, contrary to the manner of placing the Limbers of the Drill Ploughs; because their Planks being always parallel to the Bottom of their Shares, if their Limbers were parallel to their Beams, as these are, the fore Ends of their Limbers would not be elevated higher than the Plank, but would go within a Foot of the Ground, instead of being elevated almost as high as the Horses that draw them; and the upper and under Surfaces of this Plank must not be parallel to the Share, but must make the same Angle with it as its Limbers and Beam do.
These Limbers ought to crook outwards from each other all the Way, till they come within about a Foot of the Chain, much more than the Drill-Limbers need to do; because the Middle of the Plank of the Drill follows directly after the Horse, but the Middle of the Plank of the Hoe-Plough very seldom does; and therefore there must be the more room betwixt these Limbers. Likewise there must be the more room betwixt the fore Part of the Limbers, because oftentimes the right Limber must be raised, and the left depressed, in holding the Plough towards the left Side (for if it should be held towards the right Side, the Share would go upon the Fin, and its Point be raised out of the Ground, unless it were on a Surface that had a Declivity towards the Right). The Distance between the fore Ends of these Limbers is Two Feet Eight Inches.
The Strength and Stiffness of these Limbers must be such, that there may be no Bending betwixt their fore Ends and the Tail of the Beam; for if they be too weak, so as to yield to the Weight of the Furrow, the Point of the Share will descend into the Ground, and its Tail will rise up, and then the Plough cannot go well. The shorter they are, the stronger and stiffer will they be, of the same Thickness. We may make them just of such a Length, that there may be room for the Horse before the Bar H (which holds the Limbers at their due Distance). These are from their Ends to the Bar, Four Feet Ten Inches long and from thence to the Plank Ten Inches, and Three Inches and an half square at the Bar.
I is the Whipper. K, L, are its Notches, whereunto the Traces both of the Thiller, and of the Horse next before him, are fastened. The Length of the Whipper is uncertain; but when we hoe betwixt Rows, when the Plants are grown high, we make it as short as it can be, without galling the Horse’s Legs by the Traces.
We set this Plough to go deeper or shallower by the Chain of the Limbers; the changing of whose Links to the Crook M has the same Effect as changeing the Pins to different Holes of the Crow-staves of a common Plough.
[Fig. 2.] is the Beam with its Mortise and Holes; its Crooking down at the Tail is not very material; but it causes the hinder Sheat to be a little the shorter below the Beam, whereby it may be something the lighter, and yet of the same Strength as if it were longer. Its whole Length is Four Feet Ten Inches: We make its Breadth and Thickness such, that it may be as light as it can be without Bending. A is the Mortise thro’ which the hinder Sheat passes. B is the Mortise for the fore Sheat, upon which it is pinned up. C is a Hole in the Beam, into which the End of the left Handle being driven, holds it from moving, and is the best Manner of fastening this Handle of a Plough. D, E, are the Holes, thro’ which the Two Legs of the double Retch pass, and are there held up by their Nuts. F is the Coulter-hole. G is the hinder Hole, by which the Plough is held up to the Plank. H and I are the Two foremost Holes of the Beam, thro’ one or the other of which passes the Pin which holds the Beam to the fore Part of the Plank. These Holes must be made as near together as they can be, without Danger of splitting them one into another; to prevent which there are several Ways: The one is by driving in Two square Pins cross the Beam, under the pricked Line a b, before the Holes are bored, which will prevent the Grain of the Wood from being forced out of one Hole into the other; or these Holes may be plated with Iron above and below, which will have the same Effect, and then there need not be more than One Inch between Hole and Hole.
[Fig. 3.] is the Plank apart, which by its Holes, and pricked Lines, shews the different Manner of placing the Beam. a, a, a, a, are the Four Holes for screwing down the Limbers to the Plank.