Domestic Encyclopædia (1802)/Implements

IMPLEMENTS of Husbandry, denote those machines or instruments which are used in the different branches of rural and domestic economy; such as ploughs, harrows, hoes, churns, threshing-machines, straw-cutters, &c.

The improvement of husbandry, by the construction of more perfect implements, calculated to facilitate its operations, has within the last fifty years become an object of general attention; and, with this view, the patriotic agricultural societies, especially those of Britain, have granted liberal premiums to the inventors of useful and ingenious machinery, on condition that such contrivances should be communicated for the benefit of the public. Much, however, remains to be done in this important department of economy; which, we apprehend, will not be carried to its relative degree of perfection, till the science of husbandry form a more leading part of education at public schools. The ancients have bequeathed to us a variety of excellent and classical books on the subject: hence it were sincerely to be wished, that, by accurate translations of these works, accompanied with critical and explanatory notes, by professional farmers, the study of agriculture may be revived, and thus our knowledge of this important science progressively enlarged.

Lately, indeed, a repository for agricultural implements has been opened in the vicinity of Hanover-square, we believe, under the inspection of Mr. Marshall, whose name we have had frequent occasion to mention in the progress of the present work. This repository is daily open to the view of the public, at a trifling expence; and, we understand, is designed to contain models and specimens of the most valuable and practical improvements in husbandry: by such an institution, we trust that the prejudice in favour of antiquated, and aukward implements, will be gradually vanquished.—Several societies of agriculture have lately been re-established in France, and they have devoted their attention more especially to tliis interesting subject. Ploughs, adapted to different soils, are doubtless the most essential requisites to the successful management of a farm; and several of these primary implements having recently been contrived, which promise to be eminently useful, we shall give an account of their construction, illustrated with such cuts as may appear necessary, under the article Plough.