The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1898-05-24
Die of being modified to suit these condi-

If perpendicular line is drawn from
the point of attachment Of tho harness
tug and the hame to the ground, and
another line from the same point to the
centre of work in the mouldboald Of the
plow, and II horizontal line connecting
the centre Of work with the rerpendicu-
lar line, then the hypothenusc of the
triangle thus formed represents the total
tractivc effort, the horizontal line, or
base of the triangle, represents the USE
full ractive effect, and the pcnpendicu-
lar liuc represents the part of the trac-
ton which is expended in pulling the
horse down upon the grown. In some
cases onc-third of the tractve effort Of
the horse is expended in increasing the
| pressure of the horses feet upon the
ground instead Of in advancing the
plow.
In Il 14-inch plow the earth is cc-
vatcd, say Id inches, carried sideways
| Id inches and deposited, inverted, in the
preceding furrow. 1t, is easy to see
represents great amount Of unnecessa-
| ry labor during the lifetime Of plow,
and that the carrying of all the surface
! soil sideways to the preceding furrow
represents great aggregate travel Of
soil--that is, effort in ploughing large
fields.
The share of the plow, like the fluke
of a ships anchor, is shaped SO as to
draw down into the soil. The line Of
traction, from the center Of the mould
board to the center Of the horse collar,
tends to draw the plow out of the
ground. The plow advances horizon
tally rs a sort of compromise between
these divergent lines, and there clearly
results Il loss Of power occasioned by
the line draft being in one plane while
the line Of traction is in another plane.
When the total weight of all the SUR
face soil which is elevated, and also car
ried sideways, in ploughing all the cult
vatcd area Of this country is calculated,
it is clearly seen that the agrculturists
of the country waste, each year, in Incl
dental, but not in useful work in cxccs-
sive sliding friction in indirect lines of
traction; in unnecessary rcsistanccs
caused by imperfect forms, and by mad
justibilty Of form Of the plow, greater
amount of labor than was wasted by the
builder Of the great Pyramid in Egypt,
or in the building of the Chinese Wall.
If all the soil thus removed were trans
ported to the aggregate distance which
| it is transported and elevated to the ag-
gregate height which it is elevated in,
one heap, no one would dare attempt
the removal of the heap with no better
implement than the plow.
Although 1922 patents have been
granted on the plow in this country
alone, it still offers promising field for
future inventors. The killing strain on
the muscles of horses in starting street
cars was not fully considered until the
electric motor took the place Of horses
in street car work; then it was found
that it required three times rs powerful
a motor to start Il car as to run it after it
was started. The loss Of power in vehi-
cles, by sliding friction was not under
stood until the bicycle, propelled by hu-
man muscle, showed the utility Of con-
verting sliding into rolling friction by
ball bearings, and the labor wasted in
dragging the plow will never, perhaps,
be rightly considered unless inventors
themselves drag the plow, and inquire
| into tho reasons and causes of the cxces-
sive effort required by this ancient and
indispensable implement upon which all
civilization depends. The horse and
mule cannot complain, and so the plow
remains the plow, improved in material
and in workmanship, but retaining
many of the faults of the plcw Of our re-
mote ancestors.
1t would seem that agriculturists have
to observe the working of the impc-
ments they use, to notice errors Of con-
struction, to study the conditions, and
should have ability to suggest means of
improvement. Singuarly, very few
cases arc known where agriculturists
have invented or improved their impc-
mcnts. More singularly, very few radi-
cal inventions or new departures have
been made by men in f. cir own lines Of