360

ON THE Alt.ABLE LAND

simplicity, economy, and perfect accuracy of the swing plough,with two horses and without a driver, needs only to be fullyknown, and impartially considered, to give it a decided pre-ference. It would, however, be improper not to mention, thatheavy ploughs and numerous teams were universally used inScotland , within the memory of many people now living; andthat the light swing plough was introduced from Rotherham inYorkshire , though Small’s improved plough, now so generalin Scotland , seems to be rather an improvement on the oldScotch plough, than derived from the Rotherham . But theScotch husbandmen, in all the improved and well-cultivateddistricts, have universally abandoned the ancient, cumber-some, and expensive draught; while, in many of the mostfertile arable districts of England, with the exception of Nor-folk, Suffolk, and Essex, in the south, and Yorkshire , Dur-ham and Northumberland , in the north, it is obstinately ad-hered to.

SECT. II,

OF HARROWING.

Harrowing the land is executed in Scotland nearly in thesame manner as ploughing. One man, or a boy, either leads,or drives with long whip-reins, two or three horses, each ofwhich drags one ordinary harrow. The mode of driving withlong whip-reins, deserves a decided preference ; because, inleading young and restive horses, which are often employedin harrowing before they are broke to regular work, the per-son who leads is exposed to considerable danger. Besideswhich, the driver is always at hand, directly behind his har-rows, to remove any obstruction that may occur, from the