The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-08-29
History OF the 2loIf.

The history of the plow is remarkable
The most ancient and simple of machines,
yeti has been almost the last to undergo
Improvement. Tie first plow is supposed
to have been the rude branch of q tree,
cut 80 as to have a cleft end, the point Of
which. dragged along the surface of tho
ground, scraped furrow into which seed
were thrown. 1t soon occurred TO the
husbandman that he might relieve his
own labor by yoking an animal to the
long arm of this primitive instrument /;
then arose the necessity for a handle,
anixeL to The back, so that the plOw
might be guided. The strength Of the
animal soon wore away or broke the cleft
Of the branch, and this necessity gave
rise to the invention of means for attach
ing movable shares, first Of wood, and
next Of stone, copper or iron, worked to
shape adapted to the cutting of furrows,
so as TO avoid the excessive labor arising
from the plowman's having to lean upon
the plow with all his weight to press it
into the earth. Just such an implement
as these, conjectures indicate, was used
by the SaxOns. Some Of the facts con.
nected with the history Of the plow ere
almost incredible. In Ireland there once
prevailed custom of "plowing by horses
tail" The draught-pole was lashed TO
the tail of the horse, and, as no harness
was employed, two men were necessary,
one to guide and press upon the plo%,
the other to direct the horse, which he
did by walking backwards before the
miserable animal, and beating il on the
head on either side, according to the d.
rcction required. This custom prevailed
! for n considerable time, in spite of law
which was passed in the early part of the
seventeenth century imposing severe
penalties upon persons found guilty OF
| "plowing by tie horses tail" 4 paper
in the transactions of the Society OF
Antigua. of Scotland" speaks of 1.-THE
awkward custom of yoking horses by the
tail, and the driver of harrows walking
backward, with his face directly turned
to tho horse which he led" The Rev.
q. Otway says: "In ancient times, all
through the West OF Ireland, it was the
practice to work both the plow and the
harrow with horses drawing from their
tails. l am assured that it is still (l8!O)
part of the Erris husbandry." In 1868 I
during the reign of Charles I, the Irish
Parliament passed the following: "Ac
against Ploughing by the Tayle, Pulling
the Wool of Living Sheep" "No per
son or persons whatsoever shall, after ont
yeare next ensuing the end of the pres
ent Parliament. plough, harrow, draw, o.
worke with any horse, gelding, mare
garren, or colt, by the taile, or shall cause
procure, or suffer any other carriages will
his horses, mares, geldings, garrans, O
colts, or any of them by the tail; ant
that no person or persons whatsoeye
shall, after the end of this present Parli
ament, pull the wool off any living sheep
or cause or procure to be pulled instea,
of shearing or clipping of them; and j
any shall DO contrarie 70 this act and tn
intention thereof, that the justices O
assize at the general assizes to be holder
before them, and the Justices of peace q
their quarter-sessions, shall have powe
| by this act to enquire of, heare and de
termne all and every offence and offence
done contrary 70 the present act, and t
punish the offenders which shall do con
trary to the same, by fine aud imprison
ment, as they in their discretion shal
think fit"