GN THE PLOUGH" 4

it is inclined; for which thofe who havea foil in this ftate to cultivate, muft make an allowance.

The ufe of the handles, is to regulate the motion of the plough. If the downward tendency of the coulter and the upward di- rection of the force were exactly balanced, and the refiftence of the foil uniform, there would be very little occafion for handles, becaufe there would be nothing to turn the plough from the right direction. But, as it is extremely difficult to have matters fo nicely adjufted as now fuppofed, even though the beam and coulter are made moveable by wedges from their original pofi- tion, till an equilibrium takes place; and as itis impoflible, that the refiftence of the moft cultivated foil can be uniform, the handles become neceflary to correé&t any little defect in the original conftru@tion, and to apply an immediate remedy to any devi- ation arifing from extraordinary interrup- tions. For this purpofe, they act as levers, which may be confidered as heginning from the center of refiftence; and it is evident, that the longer they are, they have the

greater