Tools & tillage: a journal on the history of the implements of cultivation and other agricultural processes (1.1968/1971)

118

ALEXANDER FENTON

Fig. 2. From Blackadder’s Report.
The combined head and ground
wrest with the share g in position.
f - holes for the pins that held the
mould-board in position (seefig. 1).
Aus Blackadders Beschreibung.
Die Verbindung von Kopf und Soh-
le, mit der Schar g in Stellung. f -
Locher fur die Pflocke, die das
Streichbrett in Stellung halten (siehe
Fig. 1).


pictured 105 years before the earliest illustration
previously known.
According to Blackadder, this was the plough
(fig. 1-4) used in Uist, “the Beam of which is
formed of two strong pieces of Wood A: A, joined
together and secured by an Iron Ring, a, and B
is the Stilt or Handle by which it is guided. The
whole length of this Instrument is about 5 ft 6”
(1.7 m) (fig. 1).
Fig. 2. “represents the Head on which the Stock
(=share) is fixed. This is formed of two separate
pieces b and c (fig. 3) the piece b going through
a Mortice in the lower end of the Beam, the other
piece c goes by the outside of the Beam and forms
the rest for supporting the Mould Board d
(fig. 1), which is prevented from falling back by
the pin e, - the lower end of this pin is placed in
one of the holes f (fig. 2), and the other end of
it is tied with a Cord to a pin fixed in the Beam”.
Fig. 4 “is the Coulter, at the point of which is
a small hole h, to receive the point of the Stock
g (fig. 2) which is turned up for that purpose.
This plough is drawn by four Horses, two of
which are fixed to the point of the Beam A, the
other two to the pin z, near the middle of it, and
the traces of these last are lengthen’d so as to
allow them to get forward and go abreast with
the others; and it requires two, and sometimes
three Men to work it”.
Associated with the crann-nan-gad was the
ristle (fig. 5). This implement “is to go before
the plough, and mark off the breadth of the fur-

Fig. 3. From Blackadder’s Report. The combined
head b and ground wrest c (without share) showing
the holes for the pins at the end of the ground wrest
that held the mould-board in position.
Aus Blackadders Beschreibung. Die Verbindung von
Kopf b and Sohle c (ohne Schar), so dass man die
Locher fur die Pflocke am Ende der Sohle sieht,
welche das Streichbrett in Stellung halten.


row, at the same time making a rut or cut with
the crooked piece of Iron (fig. 6) to make easier
way for the Plough through the Roots of the
Grass. The Ristle is drawn by one Horse and
requires two Men to work it”.


Fig. 4. From Blackadder’s Report. The coulter h.
Aus Blackadders Beschreibung. Das Pflugmesser h.