Chap. XXI Of the Wheat-Drill
Drill Plough
Fig. 1. in Plate 4. is the Drill-plough, which makes the Chanels for a treble Row of Wheat, at Seven-inch Partitions, and covers the Seed by the Harrow which moves on its Beams. A, is the Plank, Three Feet and an half long, Eight Inches and an half broad, one Inch and a quarter thick; its upper and under Surfaces are true Planes. B, B, the Two Beams, each Two Feet Four Inches long, Two Inches Three quarters broad, and Two Inches and a quarter deep, standing under the Plank at right Angles with it, and held up to it by the Four Screws and Nuts a₂ a₂ a₂ a₂ the one being at the same Distance from the right, as the other is from the left End of the Plank.
This Plough makes its Chanels by Three Sheats, and their Shares and Trunks; the First or Foremost of which Sheats stands under the Middle of the Plank, with Part of it appearing at b; and is fully describ’d in Fig. 2, where A is the Tenon, of a convenient Size, Two Inches broad between Shoulder and Shoulder, Three quarters of an Inch thick: It is driven into the Plank thro’ a Mortise, and pinn’d up by its Hole: It stands thus obliquely, and pointing forwards, that it may stand the more out of the Way of the Funnel. The Shoulder at a is a quarter of an Inch. The hinder Shoulder, from the Tenon to the Angle at b, is Three quarters of an Inch. The Depth of the Back of the Sheat, and Thickness of the Share, when it is on, from b to c, is Nine Inches and a quarter; and the Angle at c must be a right Angle, contrary to the Opinion of some, who fansy it ought to be acute, supposing that when this Angle is right, whilst the Seed is descending by the Back of the Sheat, the Plough, as it moves forwards, would get before the Seed, and so it might fall to the Ground behind the Trunk; but this Mistake is for want of considering the vast Disproportion between the Celerity of the Seed’s descending near the Earth, and the slow Progress of the Plough; the Seed descending at the Rate of Sixteen Feet in a Second of Time, and the Plough proceeding but about Three Miles an Hour, does not advance the Thickness of a Seed, whilst it is falling to the Ground by the whole Depth of the Sheat.
The Thickness of the Sheat is an Inch, at its upper Part. The rest of it is to be no thicker than the Breadth of the Share.
Foremost Sheat
Inverted Share
Lateral View of Share
Fig. 3. is the Share, lying Bottom upwards. a is its Point. b the Socket, Three Inches long, Seven Sixteenths of an Inch broad. c is the Hole, by which it is fastened up to the Sheat. d is another Hole, which is never made use of, except when the Share, being fasten’d up by the other Hole, inclines to either Side; then we draw it right by a Nail driven into this Hole. e, e, are Two very small Notches, into which the Sides of the Trunk are jointed, to protect them from being torn out by the Earth or Stones that might rub against them, f is the Tail of the Share, which, when it is in its Place, will make the right Angle before described in Fig. 2. and from which Tail, to the Fore-part of the Socket, is the Length of the Bottom of the Sheat, viz. Six Inches and an half. The Breadth of the Share Three quarters of an Inch.
Fig. 4. shews one Side of the Share. The prick’d Line a e shews the Bevel of the Fore-end of the Socket, the upper Edge of which must bear upon the Fore-part of the Sheat below f in Fig. 2. and the other Part of the Share will bear against the Bottom of the Sheat, from d to c, and will be fastened up by a flat Nail, passing thro’ the foremost Hole of the Share, and entering the Hole g in the Sheat; which Nail being bended in the said Hole (which Hole should be at least an Inch Diameter) will hold the Share fast to the Sheat; and, by unbending this Nail, the Share may be easily taken off, upon Occasion, without damaging the Sheat. Note, This Hole in the Share ought to be wider below than above, and the Head of the Nail of the same Shape; or else, as the Share wears thinner, it might come off. The prick’d Line, near the Fore-part of the Sheat, shews where a Shoulder must be cut on each Side of it, because otherwise the Sheat, being thicker than the Breadth of the Socket of the Share, could not enter it: But take care, that the Share do not bear against these Shoulders.
Fig. 5. is one Side of the Trunk, being a thin Plate of Iron, and is often made of the Blade of an old Scythe: It is to be riveted on to one Side of the Sheat, to another of the same on the opposite Side, by Three Rivets passing thro’ them both, with the Sheat in the Middle of them; which Holes appear both in the Plate and in the Sheat. These thus riveted on do form the Trunk at the Back of the Sheat. The whole Breadth of this Plate is an Inch and Three quarters; but Three-eighths of an Inch being riveted on to the Sheat, there remains but an Inch and Three-eighths for the Trunk. The Length of the Plate is the same with the Depth of the Sheat and Share, except that it should not reach to the Bottom of the Share, by about the Thickness of a Barley-corn, to the end that it may not bear against the Ground, as the Share doth. The Notch at the Bottom of the Plate is that which answers the Notch in the Tail of the Share: The Corner of the Plate at a we make a little roundish, that it may not wear against the Ground.
Side of Trunk
Trunk
This Plate thus riveted on the Sheat, and another of the same Form on the other Side opposite to it, compose the Trunk, which is Fig. 6. a d is the Edge a b of the Plate Fig. 5. b c is the like Edge of the opposite Side of the Trunk. A is the Back of the Sheat, which, together with the Tail of the Share when in its Place, makes the Fore-part or Length of the Trunk. The Thickness of this Back of the Sheat is the Width of the Trunk; and from this Back of the Sheat to the said Edges of the Plates, may be call’d the Depth of the Trunk. The upper Ends of these Two Plates a and b we spread open a quarter of an Inch wider, for half an Inch down, than the rest of the Trunk, for the more free Reception of the Seed from the Hole of the Funnel: We likewise take care, that the Two lower hinder Concerns of the Trunk do not incline to one another, to make the Trunk narrower than the Back of the Sheat, lest the Earth should be held in by them, and fill the Bottom of the Trunk.
Hind Sheat
Parts of Share
Fig. 7. is one of the hinder Sheats, and appears, in part, at c in Fig. 1. It is fastened into one of the Beams by its Tenon, which, being driven into a Mortise, is pinn’d in by a Pin passing thro’ the Beam, and the Tenon cut off even with the upper Surface of the Beam: This Tenon stands more oblique than that of the fore Sheat, that there may be the more Wood between its Mortise and the Funnel, its hinder Shoulder being short: Its fore Shoulder at a must be very short, not above the Eighth of an Inch; but its Shoulder b Three quarters of an Inch. The Tenon is also shoulder’d on each Side, as well as before and behind. The Thickness of this Sheat should be greater than that of the Fore-sheat, because it is much narrower. The Depth of this Sheat, is less than the Fore-sheat, by the Depth of the Beam: It is, in all other respects, the same with the Fore-sheat, except that it and its Share are shorter. The Socket of this Share is but an Inch and One-eighth long, its Breadth half an Inch, and from the Fore-part of the Bottom of the Socket to the End of its Tail, but three Inches. Its Point from the Socket at Bottom is but Three quarters of an Inch, whereas the Point of the Fore-share is an Inch and Three quarters: There is but one Hole whereby the Share is fastened up to the Sheat. Its Trunk is no wider than the other; for we cut a Rabbet on each Side of the Sheat, that the Plates, which are the Sides of the Trunk, may come within Three quarters of an Inch of one another. Its Tenon, being narrower than the Tenon of the Fore-sheat, must be thicker than it.
The other Hinder-sheat, and all its Accoutrements, must be the same as this of Fig. 7.
The Workman must take care, that the Tenons of the Sheats be not made cross the Grain of the Wood; and therefore must make them of crooked Timber.
Fig. 8. shews how the Share is made of Four Pieces; of which a is a Piece of Steel for the Point, its larger End being cut bevel for the Shape of the Fore-end of the Socket. b is a Piece of Iron for the other End of the Share, from the Socket to the Tail: The other Two Pieces c and d are the Iron Sides, which, being welded on to the other Two Pieces, and cut off to the Length, form the Share, with its Socket, more exact than it can be made out of one Piece of Iron.
Now we return to the first Figure; where the Fore-sheat being fix’d up at equal Distance from each End of the Plank, and as near to the hinder Edges of it as can be, allowing room for the Funnel C to stand with the Fore-side of its Hole, to make one Surface with the Back of the Sheat, and for the hinder Part of the Trunk not to reach the Edge of the Plank, there must be also room for the Fore-standard D to stand perpendicular to the Plank, across the Tenon of the Sheat.
This Standard being close to the Fore-side of the fore Hopper, there must be so much room between it and the Hole of the Funnel, that the Seed may drop from the Seed-box into the Middle of this Hole. Thus much for placing the Fore-sheat.
Next, for the Two hinder Sheats; they must be placed at equal Distance from the Sides of the Beams, and so near to the hinder Ends of the Beams, that there may be room to make the Funnels in them, and their Tenons to come up between their respective Funnels E and F, and their respective Standards G and H, which Standards must be set perpendicular to the Beams.
The Distance of these Sheats from the Plank must be such, that the Wheels of the hinder Hopper may not strike against the Plank, nor against the Spindle of the fore Hopper; and the Semidiameters of these Wheels being Eleven Inches, there ought to be a Foot between the Centre of each Wheel and the Plank; but we sometimes cut Notches in the Plank, to prevent the Circle of the Wheels from coming too near the Plank.
For the nearer the hinder Sheats stand to the Plank, the better; but these Beams may be placed nearer to, or farther from the Plank, by their Screws and Nuts, at Pleasure.
These Beams must be set at such a Distance from one another, that the Shares may be Fifteen Inches asunder from the Inside of one to the Outside of the other.
To try whether all these Sheats and Shares are truly placed, set the Plough upon a level Surface; and then, if they be right, the Fore-share will touch the Surface by its Point and Tail, and likewise the hinder Sheats will do the same; except that some Workmen will have it, that the Plough goes better, when the Tails of the hinder Sheats are a Barley-corn’s Thickness higher than their Points; and then their Tails will want so much of touching the Surface.
The Shares must be all of them parallel to the Beams, and consequently to one another.
The Chanel made by the fore Share and Sheat for the middle Row, being at equal Distance between the Two hinder Sheats, is cover’d by them, they raising the Mould over the Seed from each Side of this Chanel.
The Harrow I is drawn by the Beams, to which it is fastened to their Insides at d and e, having each a small Iron Pin, passing thro’ each End of the Legs of the Harrow, and thro’ the Beams; each having a Nut on the Outsides of the Beams, and being square in the Beams, that they may not turn therein to loosen their Nuts; but are round near their Heads, that the Harrow may easily move thereon.
The round Ends of the Legs of the Harrow are put thro’ its Head I, at the round Holes f and g; and pinned in behind it, to the end that either Tine of the Harrow may descend at the same time that the other rises, where the Ground is uneven.
The Two wooden Tines K and L are pinned in above the Head, and have each of them a Shoulder underneath. They stand sloping; so that if they take hold of any Clods, they do not drive them before them, but rise over them. They are of a convenient Length, to give room for the Harrow to sink and rise, without raising up the Shares; and to give them the more room to move: The Legs of the Harrow are crook’d downwards in the Middle.
The Distance of these Tines from each other is Twenty-two Inches; so that each Tine going Three Inches and an half on the Outside of each Chanel that is next it, fills it up with Earth upon the Seed, from the Outsides of it; which causes the Rows to come up something nearer the inner Sides of the Chanels, than to the outer Sides, from whence the Earth is brought into them by the Tines; and the Two outer Rows by this means come up at Fourteen Inches asunder, tho’ the Chanels were Fifteen Inches asunder.
This way of covering adds more Mould to the Top of a Ridge; whereas, if the Chanels were covered by Tines going within or between them, the Mould would be thrown down from the Top of the Ridge: And these Tines stand with their Edges and Points inclining outwards, by which means they bring in the more Earth to the Chanels.
If we find, that the Harrow is too light, we tie a Stone upon it, to make it heavier; and sometimes we fix a small Box of Board on the Middle of it, to hold Clods of Earth for that Purpose.
Top View of Seed Funnel
The fore Funnel C has its upper Edges Two Inches high above the Surface of the Plank. It is Five Inches Square at Top; its Four opposite Sides being Planes equally inclin’d to each other downwards, until they end at the Hole in the Bottom of the Funnel, which Hole is continued quite thro’ the Plank into the Trunk. The Shape of this Hole is shewn in Fig. 9. where the Four Lines a b, b c, c d, and d a, each Line being Three quarters of an Inch, make a true Square, and are the upper Edges of the Hole. The Three prick’d Lines e f, f g, and g h, being each of them longer than the former, tho’ as little as possible, make the Three lower Edges of the Hole; which being thus wider below than above, and having all its Sides true Planes and smooth, it is impossible for the Seed to arch therein. The fore Side of this Hole is perpendicular to the upper and lower Surfaces of the Plank, and, together with the Back of the Sheat, makes one Plane Surface.
When we drill a large Species of Seed, as Peas or Oats, we can make this Hole a full Inch square at Top, and of the same Shape wider at Bottom; which tho’ it be wider than the Trunk, except at its Top, the Seed will not arch there, because there is room behind, the Plates being broader than the Sides of the Hole; for there can be no Arching in the Trunk, unless the Seed were confin’d behind as well as on each Side.
The Holes of our Funnels ought to be of the same Shape with this described; tho’, as I am inform’d, the Pretenders to the making of this Plough make the Holes of their Funnels the Reverse of this; which being wrong-way upwards, the Seed is apt to arch in them, except the Holes are very large.
Of this Plough, Fig. 1. the Two hinder Funnels E and F differ from the fore Funnel (which has been described), first, in Dimensions; these not being so deep, because they being made in the very Beams, their upper Edges are in the upper Surface of the Beams, and their Holes at the Bottom, being about the Eighth of an Inch deep. The Depth of the Funnels must want the Eighth of an Inch of the Thickness of the Beams; but we make each Funnel an Inch and a quarter broader at Top than its Beam, by adding a Piece of Wood to each Side of its Beam, which reaches down about half-way its Thickness; and these Pieces being firmly fix’d on by Nails, to the Sides of each Beam, the Legs of the Harrow take hold of these Pieces, which are in the Inside of these Beams. When the Plough is taken up to be turn’d, the Man who turns it takes hold of the Head of the Harrow with one Hand, and lays the other upon the Hopper, or Spindle, to keep it level, and to prevent either of the fore Wheels from striking against the Ground, whilst the Plough is turning round.
Another Difference there is between the Shape of these hinder Funnels from that of the former, to wit, That each fore Side of the hinder Trunks must not be quite so oblique as the rest; because then the upper Edge of these fore Sides might be too near the Tenons of the Sheats, and there might not be sufficient Wood betwixt them, to prevent the Sheats from being torn out; a thing which has never happen’d, that I know of. We sometimes make these hinder Funnels of a roundish Shape, like a Cone inverted; except that the Part which is next the Sheat, is not so oblique as the rest, for the Reason already given.
The only Advantage proposed by this roundish Shape is, that there is less Wood taken out than from the square Corners, and therefore more Wood for the added Pieces to be fastened to the Beams, than, in the square Funnels.
M and N are Two Pieces of Wood, each Eleven Inches long, Two Inches broad, and Two Inches thick: These are screw’d on near each End of the Plank, by Two Screws and Nuts each: They stand parallel to the other Beams, and have each a double Standard or Fork, O and P, in them, perpendicular to the Plank; by which Standards the fore Hopper is drawn and guided, in the manner as is seen in Fig. 21.
These Standards ought to be braced (or spurr’d) before and behind, and on their Outsides; they never being press’d inwards, have no occasion of Braces there: These are to be so placed, that when the Spindle is in their Forks, it may be exactly over the Hole of the Funnel, so that the Seed may drop into the Middle of it, when the Plough stands upon an horizontal Surface, the Spindle being also exactly parallel to the fore Edge of the Plank.
Central Standard
Rear Standard
Brace
Fig. 10. is D in the Plough Fig. 1. It is Two Feet long, Two Inches broad in its narrowest Part, and half an Inch thick in the thinnest Part, and Two Inches at its Shoulders above the Plank. It is pinn’d thro’ the Plank before the Funnel, having one of its Legs on each Side the Tenon of the Sheat: It stands perpendicular to the Plank: Its only Use is to hold the fore Hopper from turning upon the Spindle, being put thro’ a thing (Fig. 22.) like the Carrier of a Latch, nail’d onto the upper Part of the fore Side of the fore Hopper, in which thing this Standard has room to play, or move side-ways, to the end that either Wheel may rise up.
Fig. 11. is one of the hinder Standards, which being placed in the Beam, as G or H, perpendicular to it, is driven into a Mortise, and pinn’d into the Beam. It has a Shoulder behind, and another before, and a Third on its Outside; which Shoulders serve instead of Braces, to keep it from moving backwards, forwards, or outwards: It is Two Feet Four Inches long, Two Inches broad, and an Inch thick: It is placed with its broad or flat Sides towards the Sides of the Beams. It is made so thin, because it should have the more room for the Hopper to play on it; and therefore must have its Strength in its Breadth. The Part at a must stand foremost.
The Standards G and H are both alike, except as they are opposite: Their Use is to draw, guide, and hold up the hinder Hopper: They are to be placed perpendicular to the Beams, and at equal Distance from each Side of those Beams, and at such a Distance before the Funnels, that when the fore Side of the Hopper by its whole Length bears against the hinder Surface of the Standards, the Seed may drop into the Middle of both Funnels, the Plough standing upon an horizontal Surface.
Be sure to take care, that the Sheats, Funnels, and Standards, be so placed, that the Spindle of the Hopper may be at right Angles with the Beams.
Q and R Part of the Limbers, which are also called Shafts, Sharps, and Thills; from whence the Horse that goes in them is call’d a Thiller. These Limbers are screw’d down to the Plank, by Two Screws and Nuts each. The Limbers are kept at their due Distance by the Bar S; near each End of which Bar, there is a Staple with a Crook underneath each Limber, to which is hitch’d, or fastened, a Link of each Trace, for drawing the Plough. This Bar is parallel to the Plank, and Seven Inches and an half before its fore Edge.
The Limbers must be mounted higher or lower at their fore Ends, according to the Height of the Horse that draws in them; and this may be done by the Screws that hold them to the Plank, and by cutting away the Wood at the Two hinder Screws, or at the Two foremost Screws, or by Wedges.
Every Workman knows how to team the Limbers; that is, to place them so on the Plank, that the Path of the Horse, which goes in the Middle betwixt them, may be parallel to all the Shares, and so that a Line, drawn in the Middle of this Path, might fall into a strait Line with the fore Share, standing on the same even Surface with the Path; for otherwise the Plough will not follow directly after the Horse, but will incline to one Side.
The Use of the Trunks of this Plough is for makeing the Chanels narrow, of whatsoever Depth they are: But, without Trunks, the Chanels must be made wide by Ground-wrists, which spread the Sides of the Chanels wide asunder, to the end that they may lie open for receiving of the Seed; and the deeper they are, the wider they must be: By this Width of a Chanel, the Seed in it is with more Difficulty cover’d, and the Chanel fill’d with the largest Clods, and the Seed comes up of a great Breadth, perhaps Three or Four Inches wide, so that the Weeds coming therein are hard to be gotten out.
To avoid these Inconveniences of wide Chanels, I contrived Trunks like those described, except that they were but Five or Six Inches high; and the Tops of their Plates, bending outwards from each other, form’d Two Sides of a Funnel; and the Wood between the Two Plates, being cut bevel at the Top, was as the fore Side of a Funnel to this Trunk: It was open behind from Top to Bottom: The Wheels were low, and the Seed-boxes narrow: The Seed in these Chanels was easily cover’d, especially those Sorts which were sown in dry Weather; for then the finest Mould would run in, and cover the Seed, as soon as the Trunks were past it.
The Seed in such a narrow Chanel comes up in a Line, where the Row not being above a Quarter of an Inch broad, scarce any Weeds come in it; and when the Weather is dry, the Earth of the Chanel not lying open to be dry’d, the Seed comes up the sooner.
I had Two Reasons for making of these Trunks higher, as they are now used: The one was, to avoid the too great Length of the Shares; and my other Reason was, that with those low Trunks, and long Shares, there could not be Two Ranks of Shares, and their Hoppers in the Plough, which are necessary for making very narrow Partitions, and absolutely necessary for planting this treble Row of Wheat; for if Three Shares for making the Seven-inch Partitions were placed in one Rank, the Mould (which is always moist or wet, when we plant Wheat) would be driven before the Shares, there not being room for it to pass betwixt them.
Rear Hopper Parts
Fig. 12. is one End of the hinder Hopper laid open. I call it one End (altho’ it be an intire Box by itself) because this Hopper is supposed to have its middle Part cut out, to have a clearer Sight of the Plough, and fore Hopper; as is seen in Fig. 15. which is the whole Hopper in Two Parts. In this Fig. 12, A is the Inside of one End of the Hopper, made with several Pieces of half-inch Elm-board nail’d on to the Post c a, on the fore Side; which Post is a little more than half an Inch square, and Seventeen Inches and Three quarters long, being the Depth of that Part of the Hopper which holds the Seed. B is the fore Side of this Hopper; which must be nail’d on to the said Pod, being of the same Length with it, and Four Inches broad, and half an Inch thick; and this is the Part which on its Outside goes against the right-hand Standard of the Plough, when it is at Work. The other Post b d, of the same Thickness with the former, is nail’d in within half an Inch of the opposite Edge of this End; to which Post also C being nail’d, makes the hinder Side of this Part of the Hopper. C is Four Inches broad, and half an Inch thick; and both it, and the Post to which it is to be nail’d, are something longer than its opposite Side, because the Side B makes right Angles with the Top and Bottom of the Hopper; but the hinder Side C makes oblique Angles with the Top and Bottom of the Hopper; and the Reason of this is, because when the Hopper is full of Seed, it may be equally pois’d on the Spindle; which it could not be without this Bevel, unless the Bottom of the Hopper did come as much behind the Spindle as before it; and that would hinder the Person that follows the Drill, from seeing the Seed fall out of the Seed-box into the Funnel; and that Part of the Bottom which is before the Spindle cannot be made shorter, because that Part of the Seed-box which is before the Spindle, is (upon account of its Tongue) much longer than the Part of it which is behind the Spindle. ’Tis true that when the Hopper is empty of Seed, it cannot be thus pois’d; but then, being so light, it does not require it. e f g h is a Piece of a Board, nail’d on to that Part of the End A, which is below the Bottom of the Cavity which holds the Seed, and is commonly plac’d a little cross the Grain of the Board to which it is nail’d, and serves to strengthen it, and keeps the Hole i from splitting. The upper Edge e f of this added Piece of Board is exactly the Length of the Bottom of the Hopper, whereto the Brass Seed-box is fastened; and this Bottom, together with its Seed-box under it, being put into its Place, bears upon this Piece from e to f, which holds Up the right Side of the Bottom, and keeps it from sinking downwards; as the lower Ends of the Two mention’d Posts, and the fore and hinder Side B and C nail’d to them, prevent its rising upwards.
The Manner of making the Hole i is as follows: Place the Seed-box with its fore End at e, and hinder End at f, with the Base of its Cylinder (or great Hole) against this added Piece of Board, and its upper Edge exactly the Height of the Edge e f; then, with a Pair of Compasses put thro’ the Cylinder of the Seed-box, mark round the inner Edge of its Base upon the added Board; then take off the Seed-box, and find the Centre of the mark’d Circle; and then with a Tool call’d a Centre-bit, of the right Size, bore the Hole quite thro’ the double Board; and this Hole will be in the right Place, and of the same Diameter with the Spindle; but in case there is to be a Brass Wreath on that Part of the Spindle which is to turn in this Hole, then the Hole must be bor’d of the same Diameter with that Part of the Wreath which is to enter it; and that may be perhaps near a quarter of an Inch longer than the Diameter of the Spindle, upon which it is fastened.
This End A, thus bor’d and shap’d, is a Pattern for its Opposite, and for the other Two Opposites of the other Cavity, which holds the Seed at the other End of the Hopper.
When the Opposite of A (with the Two Posts whereto the fore Side B, and the hinder Side C, are nail’d, and having a like Piece of Board in its lower Part with a like Hole in it) is added, and when the Bottom (Four Inches broad), with its Seed-box under it, is thrust in at f by the prick’d Lines, until it reach e, bearing on one Side upon the Piece of Board e f g h, and the other Edge of the Bottom bearing in like manner upon the opposite Piece, then this Cavity of the Hopper, which will contain about Two Gallons of Seeds, will be finish’d.
Note, The Bottom must make a right Angle with the Two fore Posts, having the Side B perpendicular to it.
D is a Part of the Board which comes out farther than the Hopper, in order to hold a Bar at k; which being fastened there, and in like manner to the Opposite of this Board, this Bar bearing against the fore Part of the Standard, the Hopper and its Wheels are in part drawn by it.
Into the Notch l is fastened one End of a long Bar, which passes the whole Length of the Hopper, and holds the upper Part of its Two Cavities in their Places, as is seen mark’d D, in Fig. 15.
E is Part of the Board which comes before the Hopper, and whereto one End of a Piece of Wood is fastened by Nails or Screws, which bearing against the fore Part of the Standard, and against its Inside, the Hopper is in part drawn and guided by it, as shall be shewn in Fig. 15.
Seed Hopper
Fig. 13. shews the Outside of the Figure last describ’d. A is the Standard by which this End of the Hopper is drawn, in the manner as it is here placed. B is one End of the Spindle passing thro’ the Hopper and Seed-box. C the Bottom, having the Seed-box fastened on to it, with one Screw before, and another behind, with their Nuts underneath, and the Heads of their Screws very thin, and the Pins square at Top, that they may not turn in the Wood; and their Heads must either be let into the Wood, even with the Surface, or else the Sides B C of the Hopper must be cut for these Heads of the Screws to pass in under them.
Hopper Bottom Board
This bottom Board, which holds the brass Seed-box, is Four Inches broad, and full half an Inch thick, and at each End a quarter of an Inch longer than the Seed-box: This Piece is first thrust in sliding upon the Two added Pieces of Board, until its fore End comes under the fore Side of the Hopper, and its hinder End under the hinder Side; then setting the Hopper with its Bottom upwards, the Spindle being thro’ the Seed-box, and Holes of the Hopper, we hold the Seed-box hard upon the Bottom, at equal Distance from each End of it, whilst the Holes are bored thro’ the Bottom, by the Holes at each End of the Seed-box; and then the Screws, being put thro’, screw on the Box; and when that is done, we make a Mark upon the bottom Board, with the Compasses, on each Side of the Brass Box, beginning from the Ends of the Axis of the Tongue, reaching as far backwards as is the Length of the Mortise: These Two Lines or Marks are a Direction for cutting the Hole in the Bottom of the Hopper, thro’ which the Seed descends into the Seed-box; then we pull out the Spindle, then draw out the Bottom, take off the Seed-box, and cut the Hole in the Bottom in the manner I will now describe in Fig. 14. where the Two pricked Lines a b and c d are the lower Edges of the Hole, and the same with the Two Lines mentioned to be marked by the Sides of the Seed-box. The pricked Line a d, being at right Angles with the Two former, is the lower Edge of the fore End of the Hole, and exactly over the Axis of the Tongue, and parallel to it. The pricked Line b c is the lower Edge of the hinder End of the Hole, which is just over the hinder End of the Mortise, and parallel and equal to the last-mentioned pricked Line: These Four pricked Lines are the lower Edges of this Hole, contiguous to the Seed-box. The Two Lines e f and g h are the upper Edges of the Sides of the Hole, which, being farther asunder than the lower Edges, make the reverse Bevel of this Hole; which may be determined by this, that the Surface between these Two upper and lower Edges, being Planes, are inclined to one another downwards, in an Angle of about One hundred and Thirty Degrees. The Two Lines e g and f h, at right Angles with the Two last-mentioned Lines, make the upper Edges of the Ends of this Hole; and, being nearer together, than the pricked Lines under them, the plane Surfaces, betwixt these Two Lines and those Two pricked Lines, shew the Bevel of the Ends of these, which are inclined to each other upwards in an Angle of about Sixty-five Degrees.
This double Bevel effectually prevents the Seed from arching in the Hole, before it gets into the Mortise of the Seed-box; and also, the Two upper Edges of the Ends of the Hole being nearer together than the lower, there is the more Wood left between these Edges and the Screws, which hold the Box to the Bottom, whereby the Board is less apt to split.
Then the Box being screwed on to the Bottom, and thrust again into its Place, the Spindle, passing thro’ both the Hopper and the Box, keeps the Bottom in its Place: Then D, in Fig. 13. is the imaginary Plane of the Top or Mouth of the Hopper, being a rectangled Parallelogram, and parallel to the Bottom, to which the fore End is perpendicular, and a rectangled Parallelogram of the same Breadth.
Rear Double Hopper
Fig. 15. shews the fore Side of the whole hinder Hopper, with its Two Cavities, and all its Accoutrements, except the Wheels; the Two Ends A and B being exactly alike, having each of them its Seed-box at the Bottom, in the same manner as in the one has been described. The Bar D holds together the upper Parts of this double Hopper at a right Distance, which is, when there is Ten Inches clear room betwixt the Two single ones. The Spindle E, passing thro’ the Whole, holds the Two single Hoppers by Four Wreaths, at the same Distance below, as they are held by the Bar above.
These Four Wreaths are screwed on to the Spindle, to keep it from moving towards either End, as well as to hold the Hoppers in their Places: Two of which Wreaths are seen at a and b; and the other Two are placed on the Outsides, as these Two are on the Insides. Before we proceed any farther in this Figure, it will be proper to shew the Wreaths, which are of Two Sorts.
The one in Fig. 16. where A is its Hollow, which is circular, and must be of the same Diameter with the Spindle; and, being thrust on upon the Spindle, till it touch the Board, is fastened to the Spindle by a small Screw thro’ each of its opposite Holes, a b shews the Breadth of this Wreath, whether it be made of Brass or Wood: It is little more than half an Inch. b c d is the Part of it that goes against the Board: The Thickness of the Surface of this End which goes against the Board, is a quarter of an Inch, if made with Brass; but if with Wood, half an Inch; but the Thickness of its other End a e f is less than its End b c d, by which means the Screws are the more easily turned in.
Wreath
Other Wreath
Fig. 17. shews the other Sort of Wreath, which is always made in Brass: Its Cavity is a hollow Cylinder like the former: When it is on the Spindle, its End a b c is thrust into the Hole of the Board (made wider for the Purpose) until d e f come close to the Board, and stop it from entering any farther; then we screw it on to the Spindle by the Holes, as the other Sort of Wreath is described to be screwed.
This is the best Sort of Wreath; because it keeps the Spindle from wearing against the Edges of the Hole, and then the Spindle never has any Friction against the Wood in any Part of it; but the other Sort are more easily made (especially of Wood), and the Spindle will last a great while in them; or if it be worn out, the Expence of Three-pence or Four-pence will purchase a new Spindle.
Now I must return to Fig. 15. where the Spindle E having its Four Wreaths fixt on it, we turn it round with our Hand, to see whether the Wreaths are put on true; and when they are so, neither the Spindle, nor the Hoppers, can move end-ways: Tho’ the Spindle be pretty hard to turn round, the Wheels will soon cause it to turn easily. Whilst the Spindle is in this Posture, we turn the Hopper Bottom upwards, and mark the Spindle for cutting the Notches in the manner before directed; and then we take off the Spindle, and cut the Notches, and also cut each End of the Spindle square, up to a Shoulder at each End, so that the Wheels may come easily on without knocking or thrusting; and then we return the Spindle to its Place, and put on the Wheels, pinning them on with each a long Nail, which being crooked at the Ends, prevent it from falling out, but may be very easily pulled out with the Claws of a Hammer; but we must take care, that neither the square Ends of the Spindle, nor the square Holes in the Naves (or Hubs) of the Wheels (into which they enter), be taper; for, if they are taper, the Wheels will be apt to work themselves off.
Wooden Connector
The Piece of Wood, Fig. 18. is that which goes over the Standard, and, being placed in the Hopper, as F. in Fig. 15. draws that Part of the Hopper by its Inside a b bearing against the fore Part of the Standard; and that Part of it from b to c, being the Breadth of the Standard, bears against its inner Inside, to prevent the Hopper from going any farther towards that End. This Piece of Wood is fastened to the Boards of the Hopper, either by Screws or Nails: This Piece, from d to e, must be of such a Thickness, that the Standard, bearing against its Inside b c, may be equidistant from each Board, to which this Piece is fastened. The Part, or fore Side of this Piece f g, must be the Length of the Distance between Board and Board, to which it is fastened; and that is exactly Four Inches. Its Thickness and Depth must be such as may make it strong enough for the Purposes intended.
Opposite Wooden Connector
The Piece marked Fig. 19. is the Opposite of the former, and to be placed in the same manner, and as it is seen marked G in Fig. 15. observing always, that the Part of it, which holds the Hopper from moving end-ways, must always be on the Inside of the Standard; for, if these Pieces should bear against the Outsides of the Standards, the Hopper could have no Play upon them, nor could either of the Wheels rise up without raising the Share (that was next to it) out of the Ground; but, being thus placed, either Wheel may rise without the other, and without raising the Share.
I say more of this, because it is a Point wherein young Workmen are apt to mistake.
Spacer
Thus having shewn, in Fig. 15. how the Hopper is guided and drawn at the lower Part, I come next to shew how it is held and drawn at its upper Part; for which the Piece of Wood, Fig. 20. being a competent Breadth and Thickness, Four Inches long, is fixt in between the Boards with Nails or Screws; and is H in Fig. 15. The Standard passing up betwixt this and the fore Side of the Hopper, its fore Surface bearing against this Bar, and its hinder Surface against the Hopper; so that the Hopper may rise and sink easily upon the Standard at Top, being in the Middle on the fore Side of the Hopper; there will be an equal Distance of each Side, for either Wheel to rise, without the Standard striking against the Sides of the Hopper to hinder its rising. There is another Bar equal to this, and has the same Office, at the other End of the Hopper, marked I. Likewise the Bar D is of the same Use with these mentioned short Bars, and they help to strengthen one another.
When the Wheels are put on till they reach near to the Wreaths, they will stand with their Rings, or Circles, Two Feet Three Inches asunder.
Complete Drill
We set them as near together as conveniently we can; because when they are too wide, they are apt to draw the Plough towards one Side of the Ridge; and sometimes, when the Ridge is high, the Hopper might bear upon the Funnels; and then the Wheels, being carried above the Ground, would not turn to bring out the Seed: And that these Wheels may come the nearer together, their Spokes are set almost perpendicular; so that the Wheels are not concave, as other Wheels are. This Hopper is shewn, put on upon its Standards, in its Place, in Fig. 21. where the mentioned Bar D, which holds the Hopper together at Top, is seen, as also the Four Wreaths, and likewise the hinder End of the Seed-boxes standing over the Funnels, with their Trunks underneath them. Here also the back Part of the fore Hopper is seen, with its Seed-box standing over the fore Funnel: Its Mouth also is seen at A; as also the Top of its fore Side held up by the thing (Fig. 22.) like the Carrier of a Latch, with the Nails in it, which fasten it to the Top of the fore Side of the Hopper, and give room for either of its Wheels to rise.
This fore Hopper may easily be described by the Figure of a Box, like the other already described, at its Ends, which are of the same Shape with the Inside of the Box, Fig. 12. but much lower, being Seven Inches and an half deep, and Sixteen Inches long; and the Breadth of its Bottom is determined by the Length of the Seed-box, and a little wider at Top, on account of the Bevel which poises it: It carries no more Seed than one End of the hinder Hopper; but it is capable of holding more; but we do not fill it quite, lest some of the Seed should fly over in jolting, its Mouth being so much longer than the other.
Hopper Board
This Hopper is kept in its Place, from moving end-ways upon the Spindle, by a Wreath fixed to the Spindle at each End of the Box, in the same manner as has been described for holding the other Hopper. The Wreaths most proper for this Purpose are the Sort described in Fig. 17. but the other Sort described in Fig. 16. and even made with Wood, will suffice; but then we must take care to make the Hole at the End of the Hopper of a considerable Thickness, that it may not wear the Spindle, which, by reason of its great Length, is the more liable to bend, and be cut by the Edges of the Holes; which Cutting cannot be prevented but by the Thickness of the Holes, or by such Wreaths as that of Fig. 17.
We sometimes make this Hopper exactly like a common Box, without any Part of its Ends descending below the Bottom; and, in that Case, we place a narrower Piece of Board at each End of the Hopper, like that of Fig. 23. in which Figure, the Hole A being put on upon the Spindle, the Piece of Board is fastened on by a Screw and Nut thro’ the Hole B, near the Top of the End of the Hopper, and by another Screw and Nut thro’ the Hole C, near the Bottom of the Hopper. Another such a Piece of Board, fixed on in the same manner to the opposite End of the Hopper, holds this long Hopper parallel to its Spindle, that passes thro’ the Holes of these Two Pieces, and thro’ the Brass Seed-box, which is fixed up to the Bottom, in the Middle betwixt them.
Hopper Bottom
There are Two Methods for letting the Seed pass from a long Hopper into the Seed-box. The first is that of cutting the Hole through its Bottom, in the manner that has been shewn in Fig. 14. The other is that which cannot be used in a Hopper so short as the Boxes of our hinder Hoppers are; but in the fore Hopper, or any other long Hopper, we can place the Brass Seed-box to a Bottom made for the Purpose, like that in Fig. 24. where there is a Piece of Board on the fore Part of the Hopper from End to End, as a b, and another on the hinder Part of the Hopper, as c d. Then the fore Part of the Brass Seed-box, being placed under the Piece a b, is screwed up to it at e, and the hinder Part of the Seed-box under c d screwed up to it at f; then the Bottom of the Hopper, being open in the Middle, is shut by very thin Boards, g and h, fixed up to the mentioned Pieces: These Boards having their upper Surface even with the upper Edges of the Brass Box, the Seed can no way arch in coming into the Mortise of the Seed-box. Whichever of these Two Methods be made use of, in a long Hopper, the Bottom must be fixed to the Two Sides, by small Bars of Wood of about Three quarters of an Inch square, to which the Bottom and Sides are fastened by Nails, in the manner that the Ends and Sides of the hinder Hoppers are fastened to their Posts, which stand in their Corners.
We take the same Method for cutting the Notches in this Spindle, as has been described for cutting the Notches in the other Spindle.
But observe, That the great Length of this Spindle requires it to be the larger; and we make it of an Inch and Three quarters Diameter, the other being only an Inch and an half: We therefore bore the great Hole or Cylinder of its Brass Seed-box a quarter of an Inch in Diameter larger than of the Brass Seed-boxes of the hinder Hoppers; and we commonly make a Notch more in the Circumference of this Spindle, because the Semidiameters of its Wheels must be as much greater than of the hinder Wheels, as is the Thickness of the Plank, and the Ends of the Limbers which are betwixt this Spindle and the upper Surface of the Two Beams.
We make all our Spindles of clear-quarter’d Ash, without Knots or Crooks; and when they are well dry’d, and made perfectly round, and of equal Diameter from one End to the other, by the Prong-maker, we pay a Peny per Foot for them at the first Hand, and they will now-and-then have something more for the largest Size; but we are only curious to have the middle Part of this long Spindle exact; for we graft on a Piece at each End, which does not require any Exactness: The Graftings are seen at a a at one End, and b b at the other End of the Spindle (in this Fig. 21.) by Four flattish Iron Rings driven on upon the grafted Parts, as they appear under those Letters in the Middle. Between each Pair of these Rings, we drive a small Iron Pin thro’ the Joints at c and at d, to keep the Grafts from separating end-ways; and if they are not tight enough, we make them so, by Wedges driven in betwixt them and the Spindle.
This fore Hopper is drawn by the Spindle, and the Spindle is drawn by the Two double Standards B and C, betwixt whose Forks it is placed, as appears in this Figure; the Distance between each Fork, or double Standard, being exactly the Diameter of the Spindle, so that the Spindle may have just room to rise and sink there, and no more.
The Hopper and Spindle are guided, or kept in their Place, from moving end-ways, by Two Wreaths screw’d on to the Spindle, the one at e, and the other at f; each of which Wreaths, bearing against the Surfaces of both the Legs of each double Standard, on the Sides next to the Hopper, prevent the Spindle and Hopper from moving towards either End; and yet admit the Wheels, or either of them, to rise and sink without raising either Side of the Plough, contrary to what would happen, if the Wreaths were placed on the Outsides of the Standards next to the Wheels.
We make these Wreaths a little different from the other Sort of Wreaths, which turn against the Holes; we make them of a greater Diameter, lest they should at any time get in betwixt the Legs of the double Standards, in case the Standards should be loose, or bend: Therefore we make the Diameter of each of these Wreaths, at least, Two Inches and Three quarters: We always make them of Wood, and of a peculiar Shape, taking off their Edges next the Standards, which Edges would be an Impediment to the Rising of one End of the Spindle without the other. So that, for making these Wreaths, we may form a Piece of Wood of the Shape of a Skittle-bowl (or an oblate Spheroid) having an Inch and Three-quarter Hole bor’d thro’ its Middle, and then cut by its Diameter (which is about Three Inches) in Two Halves, each of which will be one of these Wreaths; and they must be placed on the Spindle, with their convex Sides bearing against their respective Standards.
The Diameter of the fore Wheels is about Thirty Inches, as the Diameter of the hinder Wheels is about Twenty-two.
The fore Spindle should be of such a Length, that its square Ends, E and F, may come out Three or Four Inches farther than the Hubs (or Stocks) of the Wheels; so that there may be room to shift the Wheels towards either End, for making several Sets of Notches, for the Use of the Seed-box.
Observe, Tho’ the fore Hopper is drawn by its Spindle, yet the hinder Spindle is drawn by its Hopper.
The Reason of this great Distance between the Two fore Wheels is not so much for their serving as Marking Wheels to this particular Drill; which being drawn only upon a Ridge, its Top is a sufficient Direction for leading the Horse to keep the Rows parallel to one another, if the Ridges are so; but if the Wheels were much nearer together than they are, and yet more than Six Feet asunder, the Wheels going on the Sides of the next Ridges would be apt to turn the Drill out of the Horse-path towards one Side, not permitting the Drill to follow directly after the Horse; and if the Wheels should stand at Six or Seven Feet Distance from one another, then they must go in the Furrows which are on each Side of the Six-feet Ridge: This would occasion their Hopper to bear upon the Plank, which would carry the Wheels above the Ground, and no Seed would be turned out of the Hopper, unless the Wheels were of an extraordinary Height268; and the Height requir’d for them would be very uncertain, some Furrows being much deeper than others; but the Tops of contiguous Ridges are generally of an equal Height, whether the Furrows betwixt them be deep or shallow; for we seldom make Ridges of an unequal Height in the same Field: Therefore there can be no need to change the Height of our Wheels, that are to go upon the Middle of the Ridges; but if they went in the Furrows they must be of a different Height when used for drilling of high Ridges, from what would be required when used for drilling low Ridges.
One Reason why the hinder Shares are shorter than the fore Share (and consequently the fore Part of their Sheats less oblique) is, that they may be set the nearer to the Plank; and I have had a Drill with Five Shares in the Plank, Fourteen Inches asunder, and Four of these hinder Sheats following in another Rank, whose Shares were less than Three Inches long; so that their Beams were set so far forwards, that one Hopper (by a Contrivance that carried the Seed forwards to the fore Rank, and backwards to the other Rank) supply’d the Seed to both Ranks of Trunks, and planted St. Foin in Rows Seven Inches asunder, when the Ground was too rough to be planted with Rows at that Distance by one Rank of Shares.
It may be objected, that the fore Part of these hinder Sheats might not be oblique enough to raise up the Strings of Roots or Stubble, which might come across them in their Way; but this Inconvenience is remedied by the greater Obliquity of the fore Sheat (or Sheats), which clears the Way for the hinder Sheats, by raising out of the Ground such Strings, &c. which might annoy them; especially, in this Wheat-drill, where the fore Share so clears the way of the hinder Shares, that they can take hold of no String in the Ground, except of the Ends of such which the fore Share has loosen’d; and they hanging faster in the Ground by their other Ends, the hinder Shares slip by them without taking hold of them; and the Harrow-tines, going after so near to the Chanels of the hinder Sheats, by the same means escape also from hanging in such Strings.
The Reasons for placing the One Share and One Hopper before, and the Two behind, in this Wheat-drill, are so many, and so obvious, that it would be but losing of Time to mention them.
The Limbers G and H, we make of Aspen, Poplar, or Willow, for Lightness; we make them as small and light as we can, allowing them convenient Strength; and the shorter they are, the more exactly the Drill will follow the Horse, without the Hand of him, that follows the Drill, whose chief Business is, with the Paddle to keep all the Shares and Tines from being clogged up by the Dirt sticking to them, and also to observe whether the Seed be delivered equally and justly to all the Chanels.
These Limbers should approach so near together at their fore Parts, near the Chain, that there may be none or very little room betwixt the Limbers and the Horse; and therefore must be nearer together for a very little Horse than for a great one: The Horse, which I have used in all my Drills for these many Years past, is a little one, about Thirteen Hands high; and the fore Part of my Drill-limbers are Twenty Inches wide asunder at the Chain.
At g on the Outside of the Limber G, is a small Staple driven in, having one Link on it, which holds a small Hook, which, taking hold of different Links of the very small Chain I, raises or sinks the fore Part of the Plough to different Heights. But take care to set it at such a Degree, that the fore and hinder Share may go equally deep in the Ground; and when they do so, the fore Part of the Limbers ought to be higher than the Traces which draw them.
At h in the Limber H, is driven another Staple, which holds the other End of the Chain; or else, instead of a Chain, we may make use of a Piece of Cord, one End of which put thro’ this Staple, and ty’d to the Limber, and a Piece of Chain of half a dozen Links, fasten’d to the other End of such a Cord, will serve as well as a whole Chain, for raising and sinking the Limbers.
He who can by these Directions make this Wheat-drill, may very easily make any other Sort of Drill, for planting any Sort of Corn, or other Seeds that are near about the Bigness of Seeds of Corn: He may make it with a single Row of Sheats, by placing as many of these fore Sheats as he pleases in the Plank, which maybe longer or shorter, as he thinks fit; and he may add a Beam betwixt every Two of them, with a Sheat in it, like these hinder Sheats; and then the Drill will be double, having Two Ranks of Shares. But I must advise him never to make a Drill with more Shares than will be contain’d in Four Feet Breadth, that is, from the outermost on the right Hand, to the outermost on the left Hand; for should the Drill be broader, some of the Shares might pass over hollow Places of the Ground without reaching them, and then the Seed falling on the Ground would be uncover’d in such low Places.
To a Drill that plants upon the Level, Marking-wheels are necessary, to the End that every Row may be at its due Distance: As in a Drill with Five Shares, for planting Rows Eight Inches asunder, Four of the Five cannot err, because Four equal Spaces are included betwixt the Five Shares; but the Fifth (which we call the parting Space) being on the Outside unconfin’d, would scarce ever be equal, were it not kept equal by the Help of the Marking-wheels. The Rule for setting of these is thus: We compute altogether the Five Spaces belonging to the Five Rows; which being in all Forty Inches, we set the Marking-wheels Eighty Inches asunder, that is, double the Distance of all the Spaces, each Wheel being equidistant to the Middle of the Drill, which Middle being exactly over the Horse-path, when the Drill is turn’d, the Horse goes back upon the Track of one of these Wheels, making his Path exactly Forty Inches distant from his last Path: By this means also the Rows of the whole Field may be kept equidistant, and parallel to one another; so that it would be difficult for an Eye to distinguish the parting Rows from the rest.
But when Two different Sorts of Seed are planted, suppose a Row of St. Foin betwixt every Row of Barley, the Rows of which being Eight Inches asunder, and the Barley drill’d by the fore Hopper into the Chanels made by the five Shares, and the St. Foin drill’d from the hinder Hopper into the Chanels made by Six Shares, the Marking-wheels must be at no greater Distance than those above-mention’d, where there are only Five Shares; because one of the Six, which are for the St. Foin, must always return in the same Chanel, going twice therein; for One Row of Barley would be missing, in case the parting Space should be made by this Sixth Share; and that parting Space would have no Barley in it. Therefore it is a Rule, that whensoever Two Sorts of Seeds are drill’d, the Rows of one Sort betwixt the Rows of the other there must be an odd Share in the Drill, which must go twice in one Chanel, and the Distance of the Marking-wheels must be accounted from that Rank of Shares which are the fewest: It must also be contriv’d in this Case, that each outermost Seed-box must deliver but half the Quantity of Seed that each of the inner Seed-boxes do; because the outer ones going twice in a Place, their Chanels would otherwise have a Quantity of Seed double to the rest.
In a Drill that has Two Spindles, we place the Marking-wheels on the foremost, which upon their Account is the longest; but if we should use the Wheels of the hinder Spindle as Marking-wheels, then that must be the longest, and so the fore Wheels (their Semidiameters being much longer than the Semidiameters of the hinder Wheels, and their Spindles shorter) would strike against the hinder Spindle, unless it were set farther back than is convenient.
When Ground is harrow’d the last time before it is to be drill’d, we contrive that the Harrows may not go directly towards the same Point that the Drill is to go, lest the Track of the Marking-wheel should be exactly parallel with the Track of the Harrow-tines, which might make it difficult to distinguish the Track of the Wheel from that of the Harrow-tine.
He that has not a great Quantity of Ground to plant with St. Foin, and does not plant it betwixt Rows of Corn, will have occasion for no other Drill than this Wheat-drill, describ’d in Fig. 21. He may plant his Rows at Fifteen Inches asunder, by the hinder Hopper, and its Shares, without removing them, the fore Hopper being taken off; or else you may plant Three Rows at Sixteen Inches asunder, by setting the Beams, and their Seed-boxes and Hoppers, at Thirty-two Inches asunder instead of Fifteen, equidistant from the fore Share: and then the Marking-wheels, which are those of the fore Spindle, must be Eight Feet asunder; to wit, double to the Spaces of the Three Shares, which are Three times Sixteen Inches (or Four Feet); or you may set the Two hinder Beams, &c. at what Distance you please, setting the Marking-wheels to correspond with them; but then the Harrow must be alter’d, and both its Legs and Tines must change their Places in the Head, the Legs for guiding it exactly, and the Tines to follow in all the Three Rows, which will require a third Tine to be added in the Middle, between the other Two. But without any other Alteration than that of taking off the fore Hopper, and that of lessening the Seed-passages of the hinder Hopper by the Setting-screws; my Man planted me several Acres of St. Foin with my Wheat-drill Two Years ago, the Rows being all Fourteen Inches asunder: It is now an extraordinary good Crop.
Wooden Wedges
In case the Shares, being only Three, should in fine Ground go so deep as to endanger the Burying of the Seed, the best Remedy to prevent this fatal Misfortune is, to place a triangular Piece of Wood, like those in Figures 25. and 26. the first of which shews one Side thereof, with the Nail by which it is to be nail’d into the lower Part of the Trunk, with, its most acute Angle uppermost; the other in Fig. 26. shews the same, and its Back-side a b, that is to be nail’d to the Back of the Shear, being of the same Breadth with it; its Bottom b c being the Breadth of the Plates, on their Inside, the Angle c coming out backwards, just as far as the Plates: The Depth of this Piece from a to c is uncertain, because the Plates of some Trunks are broader than of others. The Use of this Piece is, to fill up the lower Part of the Trunk; so that the Seed, dropping upon the oblique Side of this Piece of Wood, may by it be turn’d into the Chanel, after so much Mould is fallen in it, as will sufficiently lessen its Depth, whereby the Danger of burying the Seed is avoided: And such a Piece of Wood placed into each Trunk, I think, is preferable to Ground-wrists, which are commonly used for this Purpose; because the Ground-wrists leave the Chanels too wide and open.
But when only the Two hinder Sheats are used for St. Foin, we can make their Chanels the shallower, by sinking the Limbers by their Chain, so much as that, the Plough bearing most upon the fore Share, the hinder Shares will go the shallower.
When we drill hilly Ground, both up and down, we cover the hinder Parts of all the Trunks, from their Tops, to within Two or Three Inches of the Ground, to prevent the Seed’s falling out far behind the Trunk, in going up Hill; and this we do either by a Piece of Leather nail’d to each Side of a Sheat, the Middle of the Leather bearing against the hinder Part of the Plates (or Trunk); or sometimes, instead of Leather, we use Tin.
Every Trunk being thus inclos’d behind, we can drill up and down an hill of a moderate Ascent; but when it is very steep, we never drill any thing but St. Foin on it, and that by a Drill made for the Purpose, so very light, that a Man may carry it up the Hill on his Back, and draw it down after him: This Drill has Five or Six Sheats in one Row (with the Harrow behind them). Their Shares being extremely short, the Standards which draw the Hopper must be set perpendicular to the Horizon, when the Drill is coming down, rather than to the Surface of the Side of the Hill: The Funnels must also correspond with the Standards.
Some, instead of these Sheats, make use of hollow wooden Harrow-tines, thro’ which the Seed descends: But these I do not approve of; because where the Ground is hard, and not fine, they rise up, and make no Chanels for the Seed; and then it lying uncover’d will be malted.
When a Drill has only one Rank of Shares, we screw on the Harrow by its Legs, to the Inside of the Two outside Sheats, as near as we can to their fore Shoulders, leaving sufficient room for the Harrow to rise and sink, in the same manner as when it is drawn by the Beams.
Notes
268Notwithstanding the Reasons given, and that I have never used Wheels of such an Height as might be necessary for going in the Furrows, yet it may not be amiss to try such; because with them the Spindle needeth not to be more than half the Length of one that is carried by low Wheels: And high Wheels will allow the Funnel to be much larger, so that altho’ the Spindle go higher from it, no Seed will drop beside a large Funnel; but there is not room for a large one under low Wheels.
I did not think it necessary to describe the Manner of making Drill-wheels any otherways than by shewing them in the Plates; but I will observe here, that they are to be made very light: One of mine, that is 30 Inches high, weighs Five Pounds and an half; it has a Circle or Ring of Iron, whose Depth is half an Inch, and its Thickness a quarter of an Inch; also very thin Iron Stock-bands to hold the Nave or Stock from splitting. The Circle is held on the Spokes by small flat Iron Pins on each Side; and each Spoke has a Ring of Iron to secure its End from being split by driving in of the Pins. We also make the Drill-wheels less concave than other Wheels are.