Part 37

E is the lower Piece of this End, and an Inch and a quarter broad: Its End is to stand against the prick’d Line _c d_, and its other End at the opposite prick’d Line in B. The Piece D must be screw’d upon the upper Edge of the Piece E, as the Bottom F must be screw’d up to its under Edge, which will stand upon the prick’d Line _e f_. The Three Pieces G, H, I, being opposite to C, D, E, and of the same Dimensions with them, placed in the same manner, make the other End of this Box. At _g_ in the Bottom F, appears the Hole which is over the Mortise of the Brass Seed-box, the Shape and Size of which Hole may be seen by the prick’d Lines upon the Flanches B, C, of _Fig._ 9. in _Plate_ 2. The foremost End of which Hole reaches almost as far forwards as the End of the Axis of the Tongue of the Brass Seed-box, and its hinder End almost as far as the hinder End of its Cover[269]. The Bottom F, being of the same Length, with C, D, E, and their Opposites, bears against the prick’d Line _d h_ of the fore Side A, and against the opposite prick’d Line of B. The Length of this Bottom F is the Breadth of the Inside of the Box, and its Breadth reaches to the outer Edges of the Pieces E and I, being Three Inches and an half.

[269] Commonly it reaches within half a quarter of an Inch; but if it should only reach within a quarter of an Inch of them, it would not have that ill Consequence at that Distance, as the same Position would have in the large Seed-boxes; for, in them, the Seed would, in such Case, be apt to bear against the Bottom of the Hopper, and obstruct the Motion of the Brass Tongue, which small Seeds cannot do in the Turnep-seed Box.

All the Jointings of these Pieces must be at right Angles, and so close, that no Seed may run out at them. All the Pieces are of Board, full half-inch thick, except the Bottom, which is thinner.

_Fig._ 11. shews the Bottom of the Box with its under Side uppermost, where the light Part A is the Bottom-board, covering the Two End-boards, E and I, in _Fig._ 10. The dark Parts B and C are the under Sides of D and H, in _Fig._ 10. At _a_ is the fore End of the Brass Seed-box screw’d up to this Bottom-board. At _b_ is the hinder End of the Brass Seed-box screw’d up in like manner, the outer Edge of the Flanch of the Seed-box being even with the Edge of the Bottom-board. The End of the Brass Spindle, with its Fork, appears at C.

_Fig._ 12. shews this Box standing upon its Bottom, with its hinder Side laid open. At _a_ is the Hole in the Bottom, under which the Brass Seed-box is fasten’d, with small Iron Screws, square near the Heads, passing thro’ the Bottom, and thro’ the Holes at each End of the Brass Box, with their Nuts underneath. The Pins must touch all the Sides of the Holes in the Brass, to prevent the Seed-box from moving any Way.

A is the fore Side of the Box. B the hinder Side lying down. C is the Piece H of _Fig._ 10. which makes a sort of Shelf in the Box at its left End. D at the right End makes another like Shelf, underneath which, the Fork of the Brass Spindle is turn’d by the Crank in the End of the wooden (false) Spindle. By means of these Shelves, there is room for the Two wooden false Spindles to come the further into the Carriage, without lessening the upper Part of the Box. E and F are the Two Ends of the upper Part of the Box, made by the Two Pieces G and C of _Fig._ 10. When the hinder Side B is rais’d up, and screw’d to these Ends, the Box is complete.

We put a Lid upon this Box, which is hing’d on to its right or left End. This Box (having the Brass Seed-box at its Bottom) is to be placed into the Middle of a Frame or Carriage.

_Fig._ 13. shews the Inside of the Carriage lying down. A is the hinder Side, Eighteen Inches long, Dove-tails and all, and Six Inches broad. B the fore Side of the same Length with the hinder Side, and Eleven Inches broad. This Five Inches greater Breadth than the hinder Part is, because a greater Height is required on the fore Side, on account of the Hopper’s being drawn, and the Plough held up by that and the Pieces that must be fix’d to it. C, D, are its Two Ends, Six Inches long, beside their Dove-tails, and Six Inches broad. E and F are Two Pieces each Six Inches long, whose Ends are to stand against the prick’d Lines _a b_ and _c d_ of the hinder Side, and their other Ends against the prick’d Lines in the fore Side, which are opposite to these. The Breadth of each of these Pieces is Four Inches: When they are in their Places, their lower Edges come even with the Bottom of the Carriage. Their Use is to support the Ends of the Spindles which come just thro’ their Holes, after each of them have passed their Hole at its respective End of the Carriage.

All this Carriage is made of Board full half-inch thick; The Ends C and D are made of double Thickness by another Piece of Board added to each, that covers all their Insides, except their Dove-tails. These Boards with which they are lin’d, are nail’d to them, with their Grain going a different Way, and crossing the Grain of the Board at the End, either at right or oblique Angles. This prevents the Holes from splitting out, and makes the Holes of a double Thickness; whereby the Spindle is the less worn by them, in case there are no Brass Wreaths to enter them.

The middle Pieces E and F are lin’d by their whole Surfaces, in the same Manner as the Insides of the Ends are lin’d.

When these Ends and middle Pieces are in their Places, a wooden Cylinder, of the exact Diameter of the Holes, is thrust thro’ all Four, to hold them exactly true, whilst the Ends and middle Pieces are all screw’d fast into their Places.

The prick’d Lines are drawn all round the Carriage, thro’ the Centres of the Holes, and at equal Distance from the Bottom of the Carriage, which is an Inch and Three quarters, and the One-eighth of an Inch. This prick’d Line is a Direction how high to nail on the Ledgers G and H, whereon the Box is to stand; and the Distance the upper Surface of the Ledger must be above the prick’d Line, is the Semidiameter of the Brass Spindle; and the Thickness of the Brass Box above the Spindle, or which is the same thing, the Distance between the Centre of the great Hole of the Brass Seed-box, and the Plane of the Top of its Mortise, being half an Inch and half a quarter, strike a Line above the prick’d Line parallel to it, at this Distance above, and then nail on the Ledger, with its upper Edge at this Line. This, with its opposite Ledger plac’d in the same manner, will support the Box with the Axis of the Spindle of the Seed-box, at equal Height with the Centres of the Holes of the Carriage; so that if those Holes are parallel to, and equidistant from the fore Side and hinder Side of the Carriage, and the Axis of the Brass Spindle be placed in the like manner parallel to, and equidistant from the fore Side and hinder Side of the Box; then when the Box is thrust down in its Place, upon these Ledgers, and the wooden (false) Spindles are placed into their Holes, their Axis will fall into a strait Line with the Axis of the Brass Spindle, as they ought.

_Fig._ 14. shews the Carriage laid open. A is its back Side lying down. B is its fore Side standing up. C is the square End of the left (false) Spindle, whereon a Wheel is to be put up to the Shoulders of the Spindle, quite close to the Ends of the Carriage. This Spindle, being an Inch and an half Diameter, is held in its Place, and kept from moving end-ways, by Two Wreaths; the one at _a_, bearing against the Inside of the End of the Carriage, the other Wreath at _b_, bearing against the left Side of the middle Piece; which Wreath keeps the Spindle from moving towards the right Hand, as the other does from moving towards the left. D is the square End of the other wooden Spindle, whereon a Wheel must be placed in the same manner as the other Wheel. This Spindle is kept from moving end-ways by Two Wreaths, in the same manner as the other Spindle is; but this right-hand Spindle, being that which turns the Brass Spindle by its Crank, which enters the Fork, should have its Wreaths of Brass, like those describ’d in _Fig._ 17. _Plate_ 4. Part of which Wreaths entering about Three quarters of an Inch into the Hole of the End and middle Part of the Carriage, being firmly screw’d on to the Spindle, prevent the Friction that would otherwise be betwixt the Wood of the Spindle, and the Wood of the Holes; which Friction wearing the Wood of both, would in time cause the Spindle to be loose in its Holes, whereby its Axis would deviate from the strait Line it should make with the Axis of the Brass Spindle, and make an Angle with it; and then the Crank would change its Place in the Fork at every Revolution of the Wheels; and if the Hole should be worn very wide, and the Spindle worn much less, the Crank might let go the Fork; but when the Wood is of this Thickness, and each Hole has Wood in it, with its Grains pointing different ways, it would be many Years before the Holes would become large enough for this to happen, tho’ only wooden Wreaths were used; and as to the Two Wreaths of the left Spindle, they may be of Wood, because tho’ that Spindle should grow loose, it is no Damage; for it only serves to bear up that End of the Carriage; but he that has this Sort of Brass Wreaths for the hinder Hopper of a Wheat-drill, may take them thence, and place them upon these Spindles, and remove them again to the Wheat-drill when that is used; for that and the Turnep-drill are very rarely, or never, used at the same time.

E is the Iron Crank, plac’d into the false Spindle, in the manner shewn at H in _Fig._ 5. of _Plate_ 2. for turning the Brass Spindle by its Fork; but take care that the End of this wooden Spindle do not approach nearer to the End of the Brass Spindle than the Distance of half an Inch, left, if the inner Wreath should grow loose, the wooden Spindle might bear so hard against the Brass one, as to wrench the Seed-box down from the Wood, and then the Seed might run out betwixt the Seed-box and the Bottom to which it is screw’d.

When the hinder Side A is screw’d up against the Ends and middle Pieces, then the Box describ’d, being thrust down into the Carriage, and standing upon the describ’d Ledgers, and at that Distance from each End of the Carriage, that the Seed may drop on the Side of the Funnel, as is before describ’d; the Box is kept in its Place by one Screw passing thro’ its Back, and the back Side of the Carriage.

The Notch F is cut in the Bottom of the hinder Side of the Carriage, up to the Bottom of the Ledger, for the Convenience of seeing the Seed drop into the Funnel.

The round Notch G is made in the Bottom of the fore Side of the Carriage, to make room for one’s Hand to go in there, and turn the Setting-screw without taking off the Hopper from the Standards.

This Box and Carriage, so fix’d together, compose the Turnep-hopper, which is drawn and guided, and also holds up the Plough, by Two hollow Pieces of Wood screw’d on to the Outside of the fore Part of the Carriage; their Ends H and I appearing a little above the Carriage.

One of these hollow Pieces of Wood is shewn in _Fig._ 15. The Breadth of its Hollow must conform to the Breadth of the Standards, which are One Inch and a quarter broad; but we must allow about a quarter of an Inch more in the Hollow for the Swelling of the Wood. The Depth of the Hollow must be the Thickness of the Standard that is to go in it, allowing about the Eighth of an Inch for the Swelling of the Wood. The Hollow should be a little deeper in the Middle than at each End; because the Standard ought not to bear against any thing, except at or near the upper and lower Part of the Carriage. Altho’ the End of these Pieces come a little higher than the Carriage in this Hopper, yet I think it is better that these hollow Pieces come no higher than even with the Top, nor descend any lower than even with the Bottom of the Carriage; and then the Length of each of these Pieces need be no more than Eleven Inches, which is the whole Depth of the Carriage.

The Wood on each Side of the Hollow, sufficient for the Holes _a_, _a_, _a_, _a_, must be about half an inch broad. The best way for fixing them on, is whilst the Standards are in them, placing a small Piece of Wood at each Corner of the Hollow, betwixt the Standard and the Wood, to the end that there may be no more room on one Side of a Standard than on the other Side; then screw them on (parallel to and equidistant from their respective Ends of the Carriage) by Four small Screws each, the one at _c_, _c_, _c_, _c_, and the other at _d_, _d_, with Two below; the Heads of these Screws being on the Inside of the Carriage, and their Nuts on the Outsides of the hollow Pieces; then pull out those little Pieces of Wood, that were to keep the Standards in the Middle of the Hollows, whilst the Holes for the Screws were bored, and then the Turnep-Hopper is finished, and being put on upon the Standards A, B, in _Fig._ 16. is ready to go to Work; and in this Figure the whole Turnep-drill may be seen as in the Prospect of a Person following it at Work, except that this Figure has not the double Standard, nor Marking-wheels; because we never use them for drilling-Turneps, except it be on the Level, which we very rarely do.

The Circles of the Wheels of this Hopper go Twenty five Inches asunder; were they farther asunder, they would not go so well upon the Ridges; or were they nearer together, they might not hold up the Plough so steadily, but that one Wheel might happen to be rais’d from the Ground, by the descending of the opposite Limber; and if it should happen to be the Wheel that turns the Crank, no Seed would be deliver’d out whilst the Wheel was rais’d above the Ground; sometimes we use Wheels of Twenty-six Inches Diameter, sometimes Thirty, and at intermediate Diameters, with this Hopper.

The best Wood for making all Sorts of Hoppers is Walnut-tree or Elm; our Beams and Standards we make of Ash.

[Illustration: _Plate. V._

_P.392_

_B.Cole Delin et Sculp_]

What is meant by Wood-screws, are taper Screws made with Iron, having very deep Threads, whereby they hold-fast when screwed into Wood, and their Points will enter into soft Wood without boring any Hole for them into the Wood they are to take hold of; but near their Heads they are round, and have no Thread, and that Part of them must always be in a bored Hole thro’ that Part of a Board that is to be drawn close.

If the Standards should be much swollen by being wet, it may be proper to anoint them with Soap.

In drilling, when the Wind is very strong, and the Hopper goes high above the Funnel, the Seed might be blown over it, if we did not take care to guard it from the Force of the Wind; and for doing this there are many Ways: Sometimes we nail a Piece of Linen Cloth round the Ends, and the fore Side of the Hopper; or else we nail on a Piece of old Hat, or Shoe-leather, round the Edges of the Funnel, to raise it higher; or if the Hopper go a great deal above the Trunk, we nail up a Pipe of Leather to the wooden Bottom of the Box, which Pipe, being about an Inch wide at Bottom, protects the Seed from the Wind, till it arrives so near the Funnel, that the Wind cannot blow it over.

If we would have a long Hopper, to plant many Rows at once, of Clover or other fine Seeds, it is easy to make each of these wooden (false) Spindles turn Two or Three Brass or Iron Spindles; but then, as in all other Cases; where the same Hopper is to supply more than one Chanel with Seed, each of its Wheels must have Liberty to rise without the other, as those of the hinder Hopper of the Wheat-drill do.

CHAP. XXIII.

_Of the_ HOE-PLOUGH, _&c._

_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.