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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.