THE A H A R ? METHOD 
 
 of 
 
 TRACTOR PLOWING. 
 
 With. A LlT. 1^1' _D3ip_PleaAlD_.Qii 
 TRe. .Ad. 3 XiS.tLwnt .And. C.am ..Of. 
 l£aC.tLQJ--2L.gjg£. . 
 
 Pull y II 1 ust ra ted . 
 
 xvva . 
 
 PuUAsA^-.i)y_Ail^^tJasr__a^ "JBQHX AI RI" . Do w C A y_ 
 
Copyright , 
 1922 
 
 hy J. Leo Aliart . 
 
 is book, including illustrations, is an original 
 work and is fully protected by the copyright 
 law. All persons are warned against 
 reproducing the text in whole or 
 in part ’without the permis- 
 sion of the author. 
 
 first Edition. 
 
 Price (with Anglemeter) : $1.50, delivered. 
 
*7 N uv 
 
 0 bUn 
 
 
 R 0 R 
 
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 The introduction of the aHaRT MMTKGD 
 of TRACTOR PLOWING is prompted, first of all, 
 by the fact that no method now in general use 
 is without many faults in the eyes of the practi- 
 cal farmer. In accomplishing the world's great- 
 est task - plowing the soil - adverse conditions 
 are more often net with than those which are 
 ileal. ft is one thing to turn a large acreage 
 during the first few days with a tractor plowing 
 outfit in a large, level, and regular shaped 
 field but to secure a high average daily perfor- 
 mance for the completed job with the same outfit 
 in a hilly and irregular shaped field is quite 
 another matter. The latter conditions prevail 
 on the farm and in the territories where the 
 rthart Method has been developed. The Method is 
 designed to successfully meet the obstacles which 
 commonly interfere with continuous operation un- 
 til completion in the fields of the average corn- 
 belt farm. This it will do in the mauds of the 
 
 av e r ag e operate: 
 
 It is simple in the extreme 
 
 ho particular skill is necessary, as, for instance, 
 is demanded for the mastery of the tractor. It is 
 the only method thus far developed by which a 
 tractor can economically complete a v.my irregular 
 field, large or small , and it is pleasing to know 
 that by reason of the sa..e inherent features mich 
 make this possible, it has completely replaced 
 all other methods wherever it mas once been used. 
 
 The Angle-meter is an important part of 
 the Method. Its use is as simple as the instru- 
 
 lent itself 
 
 ef fee 
 
 s a n atiy completed joo 
 regardless of the size or shape of the field a.. cl 
 without the use of stakes or the need of measuring 
 off distances. If the operator chooses, he may 
 lay out his work without getting off the tractor. 
 
 In or di n a ry oper at ion mat r/ of t he cir- 
 cumstances herein dealt with will not we encounter 
 ed. hut all t.ie conditions likely to be met have 
 seen described. by familiarizing nimsmf with the 
 
 met , the 
 
 a n 
 
 way in 'which these various conditions are 
 operator will readily understand how to adapi 
 
 vietnod to at 
 
 
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 or oo. 
 
 -ould it arise. 
 
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THjJ ANGLIMETIIR . 
 
 The Angl erne ter is an instrument used to locate the 
 turn strips in the /.hart Method, of Tractor plowing. It ac- 
 complishes its work quickly and accurately, regardless of the 
 size of the angle or the topography of the land. An Angle- 
 meter will be found in the envelope attached to the cover of 
 this book. It is essentially a scale with a cord attached, 
 properly designed to do the /ork required. Since an under- 
 standing of its use is necessary before the text of the Method 
 ca;, be intelligently followed, the simple directions are given 
 here . 
 
 EIRJCTIOilS FOR USIJG TKM nhGLTSkLEloSR. 
 
 Refer to Pig. 1, on the opposite page. Stand in the 
 corner so that you can sight up both fence lines. In case 
 there is no fence, consider the border of the field to be plow- 
 ed as one side of the corner angle. Place the free end of the 
 cord between the teeth or hold it on the chin with one hand and 
 with the other hand hold the scale at a distance sufficient to 
 tighten the core. Keep the scale perpendicular to the cord. 
 
 This is net only necessary out the scale is most easily read 
 
 in this position. Mow scale the horizon between the two sides 
 of the ansiift. This is easily done by shutting one eye and using 
 the sca-ie on the horizon the same as you would use a yardstick 
 on a board. There is always some tiling on che horizon or be- 
 tween you and the horizon to mark the end of the scale until 
 
 it can be quickly shifted to a new position. It is common to 
 
 measure from t he le ft to the .r ight . (wha tever the horizon mea- 
 sures, take half of it, and measure back this amount from one 
 side. This determines the bisector of the angle and the parti- 
 cular feature on tine horizon or in the foreground winch marks 
 it is the guide for steering the tractor when laying out the 
 turn strip forvthat corner. Therefore, it is veil to fix this 
 feature firmly in mind so that you vill know it when you get 
 on the tractor. After becoming familiar with the use of the 
 instrument you will probably not get off the tractor to bisect 
 an angle. It can be readily done by stopping the tractor in 
 the corner while going the first round. 
 
 In the drawing, the scare is shown to measure itself • 
 eight times on the horizon. Thus the bisector of th angle is 
 found by measuring back th scale four times from one side, and 
 it happens to fall at the edge of a group of trees in the dis- 
 tance . However, it is not often that it comes out even. You 
 will notice that the scale is di viced into ten parts and that 
 tnese in turn are divided into halves. Thus there are twenty 
 divisions to use if necessary. Say that the horizon in a parti- 
 cular case measures 9.4 , or nine scale widths plus four divi- 
 sions. Half of 9.4 is 4.7 . Therefore, the oisector is 
 located at four scale /iotas plus seven divisions. It is .veil 
 to measure th half distance from both Sj.oes to c t eck the ac- 
 curacy of your v/orx, The whole process xs extremely simple 
 ana requires much less time to do than it taken to describe it. 
 Have a place for your Angl erne ter in the tractor tool box and 
 protect it by wrapping a piece of cloth arouiiu it. 
 
 
THE AHaRT- METHOD of TRACTOR PLOWING- 
 
 PART ONE: EIRST PRINCIPLES 
 
 I nt rcduct or y : 
 
 An/ farmer who has used horses for plowing, follow- 
 ing the usual custom of beginning at the outside of the field 
 and going around it continually until finished, knows the 
 following facts about this method of horse plowing: 
 
 1. That it is the quickest way to plow any field 
 completely . 
 
 2. That one will always finish in the center of 
 the field, regardless of its size or shape. 
 
 3. That there will be no odds and ends left to 
 P 1 o w af t e rw a r d s . 
 
 4. That it makes the least number of back furrow 3 
 and dead furrows . 
 
 5. That it requires no need for stakes or mea- 
 suring distances. 
 
 S. That its main objection lies in the fact that 
 the horses tramp the life out of the freshly turned 
 soil in the turn rows which lead from each corner. 
 
 The same man will recognize as the chief limitation 
 of the modern tractor plowing outfit its inability to turn 
 an inside corner successfully with the plow in the ground 
 after the first round is made. He will say that tractor plow- 
 ing ’would be ideal if this problem were solved - if one could 
 pl o w ar o un Cl cl I _L 0 1 d v/ i oil G tractor and at the sane time elimi- 
 nate the one objection he has to this method of horse plowing. 
 
 In some communities , the horse farmers consider 
 the packing of the soil in the turn rows a serious objection 
 and for this reason they plow their fields by marking out lands 
 and plowing each of these separately, even though they lose 
 the many advantages of plowing around the field. 
 
 The power farmer has generally used the same method 
 of plowing out lands with his tractor from the start because 
 he has known no other way to meet the difficulty just mentioned 
 Another reason why tractor plowing is almost always done oy 
 catting a field up into lands is that the thousands of tractor 
 interested farmers who have attended tne man,, large tractor 
 plowing demonstrations during recent years have al ways observed 
 
 thi 
 
 that the demonstration plowing was done tp 
 natural for one to think that the tractor and p!o. r 
 
 ,nca. i 
 
 T t- 
 
 v/ as 
 
 
 would use the best available method in oro.er to demons t: 
 their products to the best advantage. Consequently . tc 
 was adopted wherever tractors are used. However, it /a: 
 only method that could be used at a demonstration and g: 
 exhibitor an equal chance in the same field. It should 
 
 .hat it is the best me 
 
 . 0 t — O -A. 
 
 ‘ate 
 
 ■ method 
 i tne 
 ve each 
 not be 
 
 taken for 
 
 tted 
 
 iou to use gene. 
 
 Any farmer na\ well ask himself the question: . 
 strati on field really completed and would 1 be 
 it as a good job of plowing? 
 
 f 6 i 
 
 ,-j.e 
 
 demon- 
 , l. o a v 
 
 c e o 
 
Any power farmer who has used his praetor by plowing 
 out lands knows the faults .and limitations of this method. He 
 knows the cost in loss of time that results from travelling 
 a number of tines on the sane ground at the ends with the plow 
 out of the ground. It can easily amount to ten percent of the 
 total tine spent in plowing a regular shaped field. He knows 
 the difficulties which are sure to follow if the lands are not 
 accurately staked out, one of which is the inevitable flounder- 
 ing around on the plowed ground with the outfit to finish a 
 point . Perhaps he has given up trying to do a good job of plow- 
 ing :/i tli the tractor in his more irregular shaped fields, for 
 If he has to use horses to finish a number of scattered patches, 
 why net plow the whole field with horses? He will do it sooner 
 or later if he does not change his method of tractor plowing. 
 
 If we accepted the method of plowing out lands as the best 
 available , knowing its many faults, we woul a not be keeping 
 pace in this important regard with the rapid development ’which 
 has signalized the tractor industry. 
 
 Through experience as a farmer in a hilly section of 
 the country , the author has met about every problem and condi- 
 tion which can confront a man while plowing with a tractor. He 
 realized a few years back while demonstrating for one of the 
 large tractor manufacturers that if the power farmer was to 
 have a method of tractor plowing which he could use economically 
 in all his fields, regardless of their size or shape, something 
 quite different from anything then in general use would have to 
 be devised. To be definite and usable, any new plan would have 
 to be based on true engineering principles , yet so simple that 
 the average operator could appreciate its advantages after a 
 single' trial. The Ahart method is a development of that notion. 
 Even in its first year of use, it was much preferred to any 
 other method in every field available for trial, although the 
 turn strips were laboriously staked out. Experience as an 
 officer in field artillery during the war led to the invention 
 of the Atiglemeter, wmch has been the greatest factor in im- 
 proving the method. The problem of handling the ae: a furrows 
 and the movement of the soil from year to year was adequately 
 met. In the few fields where many dead furrows are i.ecessa-ry 
 on account of poor drainage , the advantages of the. method 
 cannot be used for it leaves very few dead furrows in any field. 
 
 In a few words, the Ahart Method is a new system '"'"h 
 of tractor plowing which can be universally used with economy 
 in any field adapted to power farming. By plowing around the 
 field and providing strips of land, quickly and accurately 
 located, for the outfit to turn upon at each corner where 
 necessary, it eliminates the objections common to other methods/ 
 of tractor plowing. It makes possible the highest average 
 daily performance for the completed field and satisfies the 
 first requisite of any plowing - a good job, less than which 
 a farmer who takes pride in his work will not tolerate. 
 
 ( 7 ; 
 
\j at 6 
 
 
 / 
 
 / Not e: The fur- 
 rows are plowed 
 consecutively as 
 numbered. 
 
 SUMMARY of METHOD. 
 
 Hirst Year . 
 
 Plow once around the 
 outside of the field, keeping the 
 desired distance away from the fences 
 and going into the corners as far as 
 you can and still make the turns with 
 the plow in the ground. 
 
 2nd Step : Use the Anglemeter at the 
 first corner and mark out the turn strip 
 for a distance of, say, two hundred f et. 
 ike the mark furrows straight and uni- 
 
 at) out forty feet apart, with all 
 plowing only three or four inches 
 
 / ished, 
 / furrows 
 they all 
 5th Step : 
 f ini shed . 
 
 m 
 
 f 4 ?/ MH 
 /0 / f °rmly 
 
 /y ' bottoms 
 -•/ . deep . 
 
 * 3rd Step : Beginning at the mark furrow, plow 
 at full depth to the next corner. Lay out the 
 turn strip for this corner, plow to the next, 
 ana so on until the second round is plowed and 
 the field is laid out. 
 
 4th 3 ten : Plow until the body of the field is fin- 
 
 dr opping 
 
 lift.ng and dropping the plow at the mark 
 
 prolong the mark furrows when necessary until 
 meet at the center of the field. 
 
 Plow out the turn strips and the field is 
 
 Laying Out A 
 
 ( 6 ) 
 
 Three-Cornered 
 
 Hi eld. 
 
 Figure 2. 
 
The Method In Detail : 
 
 The simplest and best way to acquaint the reader with 
 the basic principles of the Ahart Method is to explain the 
 necessary steps in plowing a certain field from start to finish, 
 in the same order that is actually followed in the field. The 
 whole method is very simple, as we shall see when the field is 
 finished, but the procedure will be given here in detail so 
 that not only the few main points will be understood, but that 
 the reader may know at first hand some of the lesser points 
 which would only come to him through experience and which, taken 
 as a whole, constitute the best practice. 
 
 Let us choose a three-cornered or triangular field to 
 plow first. Such a field is shown in the drawing on the oppo- 
 site page. Railways and drainage ditches cause many fields to 
 be of this shape. It is what anyone would consider an irregular 
 field to plow but since the shape of the field does not inter- 
 fere with the use of the method, we might just as well choose 
 a triangular field as one which is perfectly square or rect- 
 angular for the first example. Incidentally, by taking a tri- 
 angular field we shall have an excellent chance to compare, as 
 we go along, the salient features of the Ahart Method with 
 those of other methods of tractor plowing. «/e do not care 
 particularly if the field is level or rolling, large or small, 
 as these factors will make no difference. We are chiefly con- 
 cerned with having a plowing outfit which is in good working 
 order and an Anglemeter in our pocket or in the tractor tool 
 box. In the drawing on the opposite page, and also in those 
 on the following pages, the turn strips are shown to be much 
 wider in comparison with the size of the field than they 
 actually are. To facilitate clear understanding, the drawings 
 have not been made to scale. To simplify the text, the points 
 of the compass are taken to be the same as on maps, i. e., with 
 the top of the page pointing north. 
 
 Consider that the field is fenced hog tight ana that 
 the gate is where indicated (Rig. 2), in the northwest corner. 
 Drop the plow as soon as you are through the gate and start 
 right in plowing, going south along the outside of tne field, 
 adjust the plow so that all the bottoms will plow the desired 
 depth. If you wish, you may plow very close to the fence and 
 some farmers do this, but the best policy is never to throw 
 the dirt so close that it cannot be thrown back again easily 
 the next time the field is plowed. This will make it easy 
 to keep the field level next to the fences. Plow once around 
 the field without lifting the plow at the corners. ,/ith the 
 average two or three bottom outfit, one will have no difficulty 
 in plowing as close into the corner, if not closer, as Can be 
 done with a gang plow and horses. Do not plow across the gate 
 opening but pull the trip rope (or lever) just as trie plow comes 
 up to the gate. Stop the tractor in the corner. Laying out the 
 turn strip for this corner comes next. The job will take only 
 a moment and the engine may be left running. 
 
 A tractor plowing outfit cannot turn an insiae corner 
 of less than 135 c , or so, with the plows in t’a ground without 
 soon getting into trouble and making a bad joo. This problem 
 
 (9) 
 
is readily solved by leaving a strip of land at each corner 
 vide enough for the outfit to turn upon comfortably. THJC RULE 
 5' OR LOCATING THE TURN STRIP NOR ANY C ORITUR IS SIMPLY TO LLAKL3 
 IT DIVIDE THU ANGLE AT THU CORNUR INTO HALVES. It is important 
 to locate it exactly where it should be. The Angl erne ter does 
 this very easily and quickly. ^Follow the directions given for 
 its use on page 5. 
 
 The turn strips are laid out by plowing mark furrows 
 on each side. In doing this, it must be remembered that the 
 bisecting or middle line found with the Angl eme ter runs through 
 the center of the strip. Therefore, if a slope or hill immedi- 
 
 ately in front of you compels you to pick an object oni; 
 
 f ew 
 
 hundred feet away upon the slope or hill to mark the bisector, 
 you. .must not steer straight toward the object but consider it 
 at the center of the strip ana keep to the right accordingly. 
 The best way in this case is to pick another object which is to 
 the right of the bisector the right distance and use this for 
 s guide. A clump of grass. 
 
 do 
 
 will 
 another 
 will bob 
 
 a prominent weed, or a aarx spot 
 {if you wish to go on over the hill, 
 the far distant horizon this time, 
 up in time to enable you to make a very straight furrow 
 
 for this very well 
 object, perhaps on 
 
 as far as you wish to go. The main thing is to keep your eye 
 upon something as far away as possible. Nc error will result 
 by steering straight toward any bisecting mark which is over 
 a quarter of a mile away, unless the field is a very large one. 
 
 width to make the turn strip depends upon how close 
 your tractor can turn easily. Per the average two bottom out- 
 fit, .35 fe et is aboigt right. The average three bottom outfit 
 will t urn 'e^TTy^'on a w i dt h o f_ 4 5 _ feet . Por plowing the mark 
 furrows, the plow is set so that all the bottoms will plovf only 
 three or four inches deep. The outfit will cross the mark fur- 
 rows many times and to plow deep here ’would result in jolting 
 the tractor and. operator needlessly. The beginner should not 
 attempt to mark out a turn strip for a distance of more than 
 a few hundred feet. It can oe prolonged easily at any time when 
 necessary. On plowing back to the corner to nark out the other 
 side of the strip (furrow No. 3), the best way is to begin as 
 far away from the furrow just made as is necessary to give the 
 strip the right width and head straight for a fence x^cst or 
 other object which is the proper distance to the right of the 
 corner to maintain that width. If you qannot see the corner 
 from where you start back, use some other mark in front of you 
 
 until you can. 
 
 As the corner is closely approached, lift the plow 
 in time to enable you to turn on the strip and cross the mark 
 furrow (No. 2) parallel with the first furrow made. Plow to 
 the south corner at full depth. Lift the plow just before 
 reaching it, stop in the corner, set the plow back to plow 
 shallow, and mark out the turn strip for that corner in the 
 same manner as for the first. Th_ s done, plow to the northeast 
 corner, mark out its turn strip, and so on until the second 
 round is plowed and the field is laid out. Prom new on, you 
 
may plow without interruption until the turn strips have to be 
 prolonged, which requires very little time. As you continue 
 to plow, you will notice that you turn on the same ground only 
 once and that you spend very little time in turning for it is 
 always the same short distance and never a full turn. The 
 ruhe to follow in lifting and dropping the plow to do a clean 
 even joo is to pull the crip just as the point of the first 
 bottom reaches the edge of the mark furrow in every case. If 
 the plow is properly adjusted and lubricated, it- should leave 
 end enter the ground within the width of the mark furrow . 
 
 The operator will soon learn that he can begin to 
 turn the tractor to the left as soon as he has pulled the trip 
 to raise the plow, but that he must be careful to cross the 
 mark furrow on the - qther s i de s trai ght in., the directi on he is 
 going to plow in order to do a ~good job when start! ng"'"Tnre'~Tur r ow 
 However, if he dees not steer carefully or the plow does not 
 function as it should for some reason, the result need not 
 blemish his work for very long as he can. easily rectify the 
 job the next time he comes around. The furrow will auto- 
 mat i cully become straight as the crook disappears with the ever 
 shortening furrows. It pays to throttle down the engine at 
 the corners. The operator then has a fair chance to do his 
 work properly and the plow to function as it should. 
 
 -Then one is well started on a field and has a width 
 of about 200 feet plowed away from each fence, the wisdom of 
 making the turn strips exactly bisect the corners will be seen. 
 Alien the strip is hot where it should be, the result will be 
 as shown in either Fig. 3 or Pig . 4, page 12. The operator 
 will not be able to leave one furrow and turn directly into 
 another, as he should, but will have to travel a short distance 
 on the turn strip to properly begin a new furrow. Furthermore, 
 this trouble will increase as he continues to plow and use the 
 same mark furrows and will be more pronounced if the turn 
 strip has been made too narrow for comfortable turning. This 
 condition will ra-rely occur, if ever, with the proper use of 
 the Anglemeter. If it ever does occur, it should not be 
 allowed to exist, for the remedy is easy. Disregard the mark 
 furrows which remain unused and plow new mark furrows after 
 the manner snown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 6, page 12. To determine 
 where the new furrows should be made, stand at the spot which 
 is in line with the two deep furrows and use the Anglemeter tG 
 locate the half-way point between them. 
 
 ns the field is being finished, all the turn strips 
 will meet in the same place and this place will be the same 
 distance from each of the three fences. This will be true in 
 any three-sided field for it is a law of geometry that the 
 bisectors of the angles of any triangle meet in a point which 
 is the same distance from each of its three sides. ;7e know 
 that if we plow around a three-cornered field or a field of 
 any shape with horses and a sulky plow, we will finish in the 
 center of the field, and that we need not worry at any time 
 
 ( 11 ) 
 

 
 z 
 
 / /// 
 
 y/y 
 
 ML 
 
 ti 
 
 ! u ^ 
 
 ~i r- 
 
 Fig. 6. 
 
 Figs. 3 and 4: Result when turn strip is not properly locate< 
 Figs. 5 and 6: Method of locating turn strip properly. ( The 
 
 above figures are exaggerated) . 
 
 1 / 
 
 Fig. 7. 
 
 ( 12 ) 
 
 Fig. 8 . 
 
about how we are going to come out at the end. In the Ahart 
 Method, the turn strips fall exactly where the turn rows would 
 if the field were plowed with horses. Herein lies the practi- 
 cal success of the method and the basic principle of its 
 simplicity and adaptability in any field. 
 
 Completing The Field : 
 
 ■Alien the body of the field is plowed, only the 
 turn strips are left and these are quickly plowed out. Two 
 or more are combined whenever possible and plowed as one. The 
 combined strips should include the one leading to the gate 
 as these are plowed last. The isolated strips are plowed first 
 so that the turning at the inner end may be done on unplowed 
 ground. In plowing the strips, begin next to the mark fur- 
 rows and throw the soil outward. The dead furrows will fall 
 in the center of the turn strips. In case the field i§ 
 similar to the one just plowed, no back furrows will be made 
 the first year. The finished field is shown in Fig. 7. Notice 
 that the turn strip leading from the northeast corner has 
 been plov/ed first and that the other two were plowed together. 
 
 A satisfactory method of completing a fenced corner 
 is as follows: Make the turn at the end on the turn strip 
 as many times as it can be done handily with the engine 
 throttled down, lifting the plow as soon as it will not fol- 
 low the furrow previously made. When the turning room be- 
 comes too cramped, cross the plowed ground and swing to the 
 left as close to the fence as possible, lifting the plow when 
 it reaches the outside furrow or as soon as it enters ground 
 which has already been plowed. See Fig. 8. Swing on the 
 plowed ground in a wide enough circle to come in close to 
 the fence on the other side and drop the plow as coon as the 
 tractor is headed in the direction of the new furrow. Repeat 
 this on the remaining . rounds and an extra time if necessary. 
 
 When the corner is not fenced on one or both sides and it is 
 possible to make the turn on an adjacent field, or if there 
 is a gate to go through to make the turn, no extra pains are 
 necessary to finish a corner right. 
 
 The procedure will be slightly different in plowing 
 this field the next time on account of the necessity of 
 filling the old dead furrows and back furrowing along the fences. 
 This subject will be fully treated in another part of this book. 
 
 Note : 
 
 When a triangular field is plowed "in lands", more 
 time is wasted in turning than when a rectangular field of 
 twice its area is plowed by the same method, when the two fields 
 have the same width and length. This is because the same 
 number of furrows and turns are made in each and oecause half 
 the turns in the triangular field are longer and harder to make. 
 
 ( 13 ) 
 
Fig. 10. 
 
 A Square Field. 
 
 Fig . 9 . 
 
 A Rectangular Field. 
 
 A 
 
 ( 14 ) 
 
PART TWO: PLOWING FIELDS OF VARIOUS SHAPES. 
 
 The reader has already been given a general idea of 
 how he should use the Ahart Method in any field. However, in 
 order that he may enter any field with the confidence which 
 comes only with a definite Knowledge of the steps which will be 
 taken go complete the field properly and with the least ex- 
 penditure of time, fuel, and wear and i^ar on the machinery, 
 this part will oe devoted exclusively to the derails of plow- 
 ing fields of such different shapes as the operator will com- 
 monly or occasionally meet. The different topographical con- 
 ditions likely to be encountered will be treated insofar as 
 they affect the manner of plowing the field. Obstacles, such 
 as straw stacks, swampy places, ditches, and the like, also 
 require special attention, and the methods outlined herein for 
 handling them have been found in practice to be the most satis- 
 f ac t o ry . 
 
 Uith the reader already familiar with the first 
 principles of the general method, it will be sufficient to 
 give only the special directions necessary in each case of the 
 different shared fields. An effort has seen made to make the 
 drawings practically self-explanatory to anyone familiar 'with 
 the first principles as explained in the first part of this 
 book . 
 
 The Rectangular Field. 
 
 (Fig. 9 ) 
 
 By far the greatest number of fields to be plowed are 
 rectangular in shape, Li^ow until the strip left through the 
 middle of the field is as wide as the turn strips, then plow it 
 as a part of the turn strips. There is no need to travel with 
 the plow our of the ground in going from one short turn strip 
 to the other to plow them first. Plow on the middle strip when 
 going from one to the other. 
 
 ,/he n the field is almost square, the operator will be 
 tempted to mark out the turn strips diagonally between the 
 opposite corners, without using the ^nglerneter. If the field 
 is not ,a perfect square, he will soon have trouble with turn 
 strips so located. ,Vhen the field is not square, the turn 
 strips laid out in this manner will not bisect the corners, in 
 conformity with the rule given near the top of page 10. Unless 
 the field is known to be exactly square, use the Anglemeter. 
 
 It is necessary even in a perfectly square field where the 
 opposite corners cannot be seen from each other. 
 
 The Square Field. 
 
 (Fig. 10 j 
 
 a square is a rectangle ’with equal sides. Therefore, 
 strips will follow the diagonals between opposite 
 1' p l nvJ +hp fi-r-gt. two turn strips (southwest and north- 
 ease of Fig. 10; together, out lift the plow when 
 the center. 
 
 the turn 
 corners . 
 
 • ast , in 
 crossing 
 
 ( 15 ) 
 
X 
 
 X 
 
 Fig. 12. 
 
 An Irregular Pour-Sided Field. 
 
 ( 16 ) 
 
The Trapezoidal Field. 
 (Fig. 11) 
 
 This shape of field is formed when the fences on two 
 opposite sides are parallel. The drawing illustrates a field 
 in which the turn strip is required in each corner. In a field 
 of this shape where one or two angles are more than 135 de- 
 grees (or one and one-half right angles, as shown), the outfit 
 will he able to make the turn without lifting the plow and a 
 turn strip, therefore, is unnecessary. Some tractors can turn 
 a shorter corner than others without having to lift the plow, 
 hy 'wiping out' 1 a corner occasionally, as described later in 
 the text, such corners are easily handled if the turning tends 
 to bee ome c r amp e d . 
 
 The Irregular Four-Sided Field. 
 
 (Fig. 12) 
 
 f 
 
 When the two shortest turn strips come together, the 
 remaining unplowed ground will be triangular ■ in shape. See 
 dotted lines. Simply bisect the newly formed angle and con- 
 tinue to plow. This instance will happen often in plowing 
 irregular fields. It will happen in the case of a trapezoidal 
 field which is longest between the parallel sides and when one 
 of these sides is comparatively short. 
 
 The L- Shaped Field. 
 
 (Fig. 13) 
 
 a. field of this shape is very difficult to plow/ with 
 any other method. It is easy to plow with the Ahart Ilethod. 
 Continued turning around the outside corner, A, will result in 
 an irregular area to plow at the finish. This is handled in 
 the same manner as in every other instance where one or both 
 sides of a corner is curved or crooked, which is as follows: 
 WH3N3V3R 0113 OR BOTH SIDES OF A CORNER ARE CURVED, PROLONG THE 
 MARK FURR0.73 111 SHORT LENGTHS, so that they nay be curved ac- 
 curately to conform with the curved side or sides. one 
 
 side is curved and the other is straight, as in the case at 
 hand, the curvature of the turn strip will properly be half as 
 much as the curvature of the side. This will be illustrated 
 to better advantage in the next case taken, that of the very 
 irregular field. 
 
 The Very Irregular Field. 
 
 (Fig. 14) 
 
 Although this field would seem to be a difficult pro- 
 position for a tractor plowing outfit, it is no exception to 
 the general application of the method. There is very little 
 difference between the manner of plowing this field and the 
 rectangular field in Fig. 9. The only difference is tn&t in 
 the corners which have one or both sides curved, the turn 
 strips are advanced in shorter lengths, depending on the cur- 
 vature of the sides. If the curve is short , like tnat in tn . 
 
 (17) 
 
% 
 
river near the gate, a hundred feet would be far enough to mark 
 out the turn strip for this corner at first. By doing this, it 
 is easy to keep the turn strip half-way between the sides. When 
 the distance between the sides is not many times greater than 
 the width of the turn strip, the operator’s judgment will tell 
 
 lim accurately enough where the bisecting line ''WTT'l Tmr wl th- 
 
 out using the Anglemeter. The main thing in this case is to 
 estimate the location of the center line first and then be care' 
 ful to plow the mark furrows the same distance away from it on 
 both sides. The Anglemeter should be used, however, in all 
 cases where the width b- tween the sides is comparatively large, 
 even if one or both sides are curved, 
 ed in Fig. 15. 
 
 The method is illustrat- 
 
 How To Use The Anglemeter When The Sides Are Curved. 
 
 Bisector 
 
 
 - O 
 
 V-v, 
 
 
 7 
 
 Fig . 15 . 
 
 Stand in the corner -or at the center of the turn strip, 
 as indicated. Choose two points, one on each side, which are 
 about the same distance from where you are standing. These 
 points are shown at A and B. Use the Anglemeter between these 
 points. When plowing the mark furrows, curve th Vi. < S 1 1 ghtly to 
 conform with the curve at the sides. In the case illustrated 
 above, the turn strip will be curved very little. 
 
 The Field 
 
 Which Finishes In More Than One plac 
 
 Uig. 16) 
 
 many times, as in the field pictured on the next page, 
 a field will be narrower through the middle than at either end. 
 ./'non the plowing has progressed until the furrows almost meet 
 in the middle, as indicated by the dotted lines, the two parts 
 
Fi g . 17. 
 
 A Field Made Irregular At One Corner 
 By An Orchard Or farmstead. 
 
 ( 20 ) 
 
are plowed separately. When both are finished, the connecting 
 turn strips ate really one and are plowed as such. This type 
 of field is often found in hilly or rolling sections of the 
 country. The field may not originally be of such shape that 
 it will finish in more than one place, but it is often neces- 
 sary to plow a field in parts on account of not being able to 
 throw the furrows up hill. These parts are almost always ir- 
 regular in shape and may finish in a number of places. Such 
 a field w ill be described later under the subject of the hilly 
 field . 
 
 The Field Made Irregular By An Inset At The Corner. 
 
 (Fig. 17) 
 
 The operator is often at a loss to know the best way 
 to plow a field when one corner is occupied by a garden patch, 
 orchard, or the farm-yard. If the inset is square and quite 
 small , he may drive around it with the plow out of the ground 
 and make a turn strip at the southwest corner of -the plot when 
 he gets there. However, if the area is as great as the average 
 orchard of farmstead usually is, a lot of time will be wasted 
 in running "empty" around it. The best way in this case is to 
 plow around the plot and make turn strips when necessary. Soon- 
 er or later, depending on the size of the plot, the turning 
 angle on one of the strips will become great enough so that the 
 turn can be made without lifting the plow, as at A in the draw- 
 ing. This is because the curvature of the furrow plowed around 
 the corner becomes greater as the plowing proceeds. After the 
 first furrow has been plowed across the turn strip at A, plow 
 out the turn strip immediately so that the end turning can be 
 done on unplowed ground. Then proceed with the remainder of the 
 field as usual. In this case, the gate has been placed at the 
 farmstead. The continuous turn strip, as well as tiiose in pre- 
 vious drawings, is plowed last. Thus, when the outfit goes 
 through the gate the last time, the field has been finished 
 with no unnecessary running around. 
 
 The Hilly Field, 
 
 (Fig. 18) 
 
 The man who farms in the hills has many experiences 
 which are unknown to the man who farms level or slightly roll- 
 ing land. A plow will not throw a furrow up hill at normal 
 plowing speed and do a good job of turning the furrow slice 
 when the grade approaches the neighborhood of ten percent(ten 
 feet rise in one hundred feet). When a field contains a hill, 
 the method must be altered to conform to it if plowing in the 
 regular way will result in any considerable amount of throwing 
 the furrov/s up hill. It is a fine thing to have the field con- 
 form to the hill, as is common in the palouse country of the 
 Northwest, but it is not always practical to do so. Not only 
 is the direction of throwing the furrow a factor, but it is 
 always desirable to mount the hill where the grade is easiest 
 for the tractor. To overwork a tractor is one of the quickest 
 
 ( 21 ) 
 
Fig . 18 . 
 
 A Hilly Field. 
 
 Fig. 19. 
 
 A Basin Shaped Field. 
 ( 22 ) 
 
end it to the junk pile. The operator must remember tlia 
 ye drawbar pull of a tractor is considerably iessen- 
 lit amounts to 1 % of the combined weight of the 
 grade, For example, if the combined 
 plow, and operator is 7500 pounds, the 
 of the tractor would be lessened by 750 
 If it is a three bottom outfit and the 
 tractor is being overworked and overstrained on certain grades 
 the reasonable thing to do is to take off one of the bottoms. 
 
 *v ays to 
 the effect'!' 
 ed on a grade 
 outfit for every 1 % of 
 weight of the tractor, 
 effective drawbar pull 
 pounds on a 1 0 % grade. 
 
 Most tractor plows are made so 
 
 that this is easily and quickl; 
 
 done. A little planning and thought beforehand in laying 
 the work, however, may even make this unnecessary . 
 
 on 
 
 Consider 
 characteristic cas 
 
 the field illustrated in . 
 For a short time, this 
 
 rr 
 
 - o 
 
 ^ ~i i 
 
 18 . it 
 : 1 ri c oul d 
 
 is 
 
 bn 
 
 cl 
 
 plowed in the usual way without any difficulty but as soon as 
 the plowed strip becomes wide enough to reach over the mill on 
 the south side, the furrows would have to be thrown up hill. 
 if the plowing is continued in the same direction. There is 
 nothing to prevent the operator from plowing the hill and tne 
 land around, the foot of it separately first and tne rest oi 
 the field afterwards, as shown. Hot only can it be arranged 
 in this way to throw the furrows in the right direction, but 
 it can often be arranged so that the tractor can go up the easi- 
 est grades and a own the steepest. The field will be made into 
 two or more irregular parts, but we have learned that this is no 
 particular objection. 
 
 The ability to do side hill work depends on one type 
 of tractor, whether or not it runs with, one drive wheel in the 
 furrow, and how it is equipped. Very little or no uixf iculty 
 will be experienced in average hill -side work with a tractor 
 which runs with both drive wheels on the unplowed ground and 
 which is equipped with extension rims of sufficient width. ^ 
 self -steering device is of little use in hill-sine plowing, as 
 tne operator must be able to keep varying distances away from 
 the furrow bank, depending on the steepness of the slope, in 
 order to keep from sliding into the furrow and to have each 
 
 bottom cut the proper width. 
 
 The basin Shaped Field. 
 
 (Fig. 19) 
 
 The field which slopes towards the center on ail sides 
 is best plowed by throwing the furrows in the same direction. 
 This may be done in different ways. ^ common practice is to 
 begin in the middle and plow continually until one or more bor- 
 ders of the field are reached, without lifting the plow. This 
 method results in many three -cornered patches being left, which 
 is undesirable, a better way is to keep the corners square so 
 that patches will not be left. Square corners may be made in 
 two ways when going around, the field to the right. First, by 
 making a quarter turn on a turn strip and, secondly, by making 
 a three-quarter turn to the left without a turn strip. The 
 turning on a turn strip may be done to the right as handily as 
 to the left. Whether or not a turn strip is used at the cor- 
 
 ( 23 ; 
 
ners, the Anglemeter will quickly locate where the turning 
 should be done and will locate accurately the place in the 
 center of the field where the plowing must begin to finish 
 right in the end. The procedure is almost the same whether 
 a turn strip is used or not. There are, however, some dif- 
 ferences between the method which should be followed and 
 what has already been discussed and it will be well to treat 
 the case in detail. Refer to Fig. 19. 
 
 ,Ve will choose a somewhat irregular field and do 
 the turning to the left, as shown , without making a turn strip. 
 When the method is understood under these circumstances, it 
 can readily be applied to any regular shaped field and the 
 reader will know just how to proceed with making turn strips 
 when these are desired. 
 
 We are mainly concerned with locating the place in 
 the middle of the field where the plowing should begin in 
 order to come out even all around the outside of the field, 
 v/e are able to do this without setting stakes or stepping off 
 distances by simply using the Anglemeter. Bisect the corner at 
 the gate and check the work by doing it twice. Keep close 
 account of what half the angle measured, either in the mind 
 or on peper. Keep account of the other half angles to be 
 measured also. Set the plow to work as shallow as it will 
 without gathering trash and PLOW Oil THE BISECT I1TG LIRE until 
 it is certain that the center of the field has been reached 
 or passed. It is best to go some distance past the center to 
 make this certain. Remember the object in the distance which 
 is used as a guide to pi ow a straight furrow as the same ob- 
 ject will soon be used again. Remember the guide for each 
 of the following corners, also. Run empty up to the next 
 (northeast) corner and plow the bisector of this corner in 
 the same manner. The bisectors of the remaining corners are 
 extended until they meet the others, as shown.. 
 
 The next thing is to lay out one round at the cen- 
 ter which will start the operator out properly. This round 
 f will inclose a small area of an acre or so. The idea is to 
 make the sides of the inclosed area parallel to and the same 
 distance from the respective sides of the field. Choose a 
 I point which is on one of the bisectors and a short distance 
 (40 or 50 feet ; from where it crosses another, |Say. a point 
 on the northwest bisector is taken. Stand here ana with the 
 Anglemeter measure from the guiding object of this- bisector 
 to the left as far as half the northwest corner angle mea- 
 sured. In other words, make angle A’ equal to angle A. Pick 
 out something in the distance to mark the left side of angle 
 A' . Cross the spot where the measuring was done in the direc- 
 tion of this mark and plow at full depth until the next bisector 
 is crossed. Lift the plow here and swing in a circle to the 
 left. In like manner, make angle B’ equal to angle B, and 
 plow until the southwest bisector is crossed. Go on around, 
 making angles C ’ and C equal and angles D ' and D equal, each 
 time crossing the oisector to begin a new furrow where the last 
 one left off. If the work has been properly done, the opera- 
 tor will come out at the point where he started. Not only are 
 all the furrows just made parallel to the correspond- 
 
inf sides of the field, but all of them are also the same ais- 
 
 tance from the outside of the field. Consequently , oy plowing 
 
 continually around the small area as marked out, and making^ t ie 
 . . . j .• _ j j.-u ^ -pi n i a wi n i Vio -F-i ni n. i ons 
 
 turns in the manner indicated, the field will be mushed aiong 
 ail the fences at the same time. The next thing to do^, howewer, 
 is to plow out the small area. The oest way is to back fuiaov. 
 
 f 
 
 a 
 
 is to 
 along 
 
 oest way is to back furrow 
 a dead furrow in the miudle 
 i to swing in a large 
 
 out the small area. The 
 the parallel sides and come to 
 The operator must be careful 
 enough .circle at the corners to keep one furrows straight at al 
 en the field is almost finished and there is not^ .loo,.. 
 to" "the left in the corners, make round corners without 
 
 t'^A 
 
 times 
 to turn 
 lifting 
 furrow and 
 places are 
 
 ne plow. If there are- any uneven places between tiw 
 the fence in fini shing up, wait until the narrower 
 about two rounds wide and then straighten ever/tning 
 up by running empty past these places until the same widtn is 
 attained all the way around the field. This will give the out- 
 fit plenty of room to work in and the last round or two will 
 finish the field neatly. ( ftien there is much side hill worx of 
 varying grades, the operator must expect more or less uneveness 
 at the finish on account of slippage. If an effort is naae to 
 keep the furrows straight at all times, finishing up will o : 
 much easier. 
 
 In a regular shaped field, the method of laying out 
 the center area, will be the same as in the trapezoidal field 
 just discussed, except that all the corners being right angles 
 makes it a bit simpler. There may be times when the center 
 area will be of a different shape than the field. laxe fur 
 instance the irregular four-sided field shown in Pig. 12, In 
 this case, to make the center area large enough to include a 
 side parallel to the short fence on the north side would make 
 it too large to plow out handily. If the area witnin the 
 dotted lines lies level enough to plow by throwing the fur- 
 rows outward, it could very well be plowed in this manner by^ 
 using turn strips exactly as shown and plowing the rest of the 
 field as in Pig. 19. However, if the basin shaped slopes 
 continue down into this area, the best plan is to plow a 
 straight furrow between the two bisector intersections ana 
 plow on the triangle until the intersection of the shorter 
 bisectors is reached. Thus, in every case, a little thought 
 will result in a plan which will work out very nicely. 
 
 If the operator would rather use turn strips on 
 account of quicker turning, he only has to mark them out in 
 the usual manner but for their full length. In this case, the 
 sides of the small area at the center are laid out from the 
 center of the turn strips, which is in reality on the bisectors 
 Sometimes, as when the soil is all but too wet to plow, it is 
 objectionable to make the left hand turns on account of pack- 
 ing the soil . oy running over the same ground more than once. 
 
 In this case, the operator will prefer to use turn strips for 
 they make it: possible to turn on the same ground onl„ once. 
 
 When A Large Turn Becomes Cramped. 
 
 (Pig. 20) 
 
 a ls.rge sweeping curve may easily be followed with- 
 out difficulty when a field is begun but if the field is large 
 
Fig. 20. 
 
 Lay Gut A Turn Strip './hen A Turn Becomes Cramped. 
 
 Fig. 21. 
 
 How To "Wipe Out" a Corner Or Pocket. 
 
 c 
 
 tr 
 
 s j^^wfiwi******** TZI 
 
 ::* ■ •.* • ■. / , V H 
 
 \ 
 
 
 
 .V *_1 
 
 ^ • 
 
 — ~±i - ! j > | | ’ STRAW 
 
 ‘4 N’rr 4 "* 
 
 STACK ■■■ Nrr 
 
 i 4 , i , 
 
 i . \ • > ■, /J* ; I ! 1 ! 
 
 \ ] \ ■ i W !"}■) j~. 
 
 — \ '■•■■■■ y J j- 
 
 >0^ 
 
 Fig . 22 . 
 
 How To Handle Straw Stacks And Similar Obstacles 
 
 (26) 
 
the turning may become so cramped that the front furrow wheel 
 will not follow the furrow. The good plowman will not allow 
 his plow to "cut and cover". When this is apt to happen, sim- 
 ply lay out a turn strip and the problem is solved. Pig. 20 
 illustrates such a case and the manner of laying out the strip. 
 
 How To "Wipe Out" A Corner. 
 
 (Pig. 21) 
 
 A very simple and efficient way to keep a turn from 
 becoming difficult to make is shown in Pig. 21. It is called 
 "wiping out" a corner. It amounts to plowing across the cor- 
 ner twice or as many times as is necessary to make the corner 
 "easy". To do a neat job, the operator should manage to get 
 the front furrow wheel over on the plowed ground before he 
 drops the plow. All the furrows will not be started at the 
 same time when this is done and the furrow will be easy to 
 follow on the next round. 
 
 Sometimes there will be a small pocket along the 
 side of a field which would otherwise be straight. The proper 
 way to handle this uneveness is to "wipe" it out the first 
 time around and thus straighten out the furrow. 
 
 Getting Around Straw Stacks And Similar Obstacles. 
 
 (Pig. 22) 
 
 There are different ways to handle straw stacks, 
 small clumps of trees, grain stack settings, and similar 
 obstacles. The method described here is very satisfactory 
 and is preferred by the author to all other ways that he 
 has tried. It allows the operator to plow close to the stack 
 all around and will not make a crooked furrow after the stack 
 has been passed. As the plowing comes up to the stack, lift 
 the plow and drop It again on the other side so as to leave 
 a curved strip about a rod wide around the stack on that side. 
 .Vhen the plowing has reached the center of the stack, turn to 
 the left and swing around as indicated and begin plowing out 
 the strip. Turn to the left again on the other side to get 
 oack into the straight furrow. After a few rounds done in this 
 manner, that side of the stack will be finished and the plow- 
 ing can be done alohg the other side without lifting the plow. 
 After a few more rounds have been made, the furrow will be 
 straight again. 
 
 Crossing Pitches. 
 
 (Pig. 23) 
 
 It does not take much of a ditch to stall a tractor 
 plowing outfit if the plow is left in the ground. This is be- 
 cause when the drive wheels are at the bottom of the ditch or 
 starting to climb out, the plow is cutting deep over the bank. 
 Under these circumstances, the tractor must lift itself out 
 of the ditch when the draft of the plow is greatly increased 
 with the usual result that the drivers turn and dig themselves 
 in without moving the outfit. When this happens, it is worse 
 than useless to allow the drivers to keep on turning. The thing 
 
 f 
 
 V 
 
to do in this case is to throw out the clutch as scon as it is 
 seen that the outfit does not move when the wheels are turning 
 and. lengthen the hitch with a log chain. This takes a lot of 
 time and soon gets old when it has to be done every time the 
 outfit comes around. Lifting the plow to cross a ditch is not 
 at all satisfactory for it results in a ragged job. The opera- 
 tor has enough to look after when he is crossing a ditch with- 
 out having to. lift and drop the plow within a few feet at the 
 same time. The author experienced much trouble in crossing 
 
 Direction of Plowing 
 
 Pig . '23 . 
 
 How To Cross Ditches Without Stalling. 
 
 ditches during the first year of his tractor plowing experi- 
 ence. This caused him to devise a means to solve the problem 
 — a serious j j roblem on a hilly farm, after much experimenting, 
 a way was found to put an end to the difficulty. Refer to 
 the sketch above. Plow twice along the ditch on the side ap- 
 proached by the outfit. This means that four furrows will be 
 plowed if ft is a two bottom outfit ana six if it is a three 
 bottom' outfit. It is not necessary or even desirable to plow 
 near the bottom of the ditch. Confine the furrows along the 
 edge of the bank. Do not disturb the other side of the ditch 
 out run back empty for the second time. 
 
 '/i til" this done, when the tractor drive wheels are in 
 the bottom of the ditch, the plow has entered the loosened soil 
 and is easy to pull. The outfit will go on across the ditch 
 without even hestiating. Any ditch that can be crossed with 
 a binder ana horses can be crossed with the tractor and plow 
 without trouble in this way. The finished job will be neat 
 and no sign will be left 'to indicate that the furrows had first 
 been plowed parallel to the ditch'. Put this idea to work for 
 you if you are bothered with ditches. 
 
 ( 23 ) 
 
PART THHS'3 : SECOND Ad AR MANAGEMENT . 
 
 When a field, is'. plowed again in another year, the me - 
 thoo should be changed sufficiently tc provide for the dead fur- 
 revs uo fall in v. different place and to keep the ground level 
 along the borders of the field. .Both these objects are easily 
 accomplished without materially changing the general method. 
 
 To have the new dead furrows fall in a different place 
 it is only necessary to shift the location of the turn strip 
 tc either side of where it was t i. last time. This shift need 
 not amount to more than half the width of the turn strip and by 
 making it this amount, one of the mark furrows will fill the 
 old dead furrow. This is a good plan to follow. 
 
 Tc keep the ground level along the edges of the field, 
 it is necessary to back furrow, or throw the furrows away from 
 the outside of the field. The whole field may be back furrowed 
 as outlined /under the subject of the basin shaped field and 
 illustrated in Pig. 19. Some operators may prefer to do this 
 but it is not at all necessary and in fields which have one or 
 more curved sides, one cannot expect to finish evenly along 
 those sides with this method. Since one may go around the field 
 to the right as well as to the left, a narrow strip may readily 
 be back furrowed around the outside and the main body of the 
 field plowed in the usual manner. The width to be back furrow- 
 ed may be whatever the operator chooses to make it. Three or 
 four rods makes a handy width in most cases. If much discing 
 and • other cultivation is done in the field in preparing for and 
 oaring for the crop that is raised in the field, the back fur- 
 rows will disappear before it is necessary to back furrow in 
 plowing the field again. If anything is left of the back fur- 
 row ridge:, , however, a new one can be made in a different place 
 simply by changing the width of the back furrowed strip slightly 
 
 The reader can best be acquainted with the best prac- 
 tice in second year management by following the procedure step 
 W stop in a certain field and studying the reason for each step 
 as he goes along, for our purpose, let us choose a rectangular 
 fie.La, Any other shape of field, would do quite as well , but the 
 principles can better be shown by using a rectangular field. Re- 
 xer to fig. 24 on the next page. The turn strips are marked out 
 while going the first round because in this case no special 'pro- 
 cedure is necessary tc do a good job of plowing in the corners. 
 The reason why one round is first plowed the 'first year is that 
 the soil farthest in the corners is more easily plowed in this 
 marine r . 
 
 upon entering the field, begin by plowing the mark 
 furrows for the turn strip at the first corner. Plow the first 
 mark furrow along the old dead furrow, as shown, in order to 
 fill it. (It may be that nothing is left of the old dead fnrruv, 
 in which case the turn strip may be laid gut in the same pla.ee 
 as before and some of the steps outlined here will not oe nec- 
 essary). If .it is known that the old dead furrow does not oi- 
 seot the corner, disregard it and use the ^nglemeter. The f_rst 
 mark furrow should be locate , however, -so as to fill the old 
 dead furrow as much as possible . 
 

 X" 
 
 X 
 
 1 I 
 
 N, 
 
 r 
 
 £ 
 
 i- 
 
 12 
 
 V5^1 
 
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 I 
 
 : k. 
 
 ^uN 
 
 V. 
 
 
 I 
 
 ! 
 
 / 
 
 X 
 
 \ 
 
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 $ 
 
 g . 
 
 r' { 
 
 y 
 
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 M 
 
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 % 
 
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 ✓ 
 
 
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 2- 
 
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 -10 
 
 A> 
 
 llvf 
 
 
 V 
 
 \K 
 
 w 
 
 > 
 
 
 
 ■ 
 
 & 
 
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 J 
 
 W 
 
 ft 
 
 1 
 
 %01d Dead Furrow. 
 
 Dote : Furrows are plowed 
 consecutively as numbered 
 
 m 1 
 
 | I 
 1 
 
 I i 
 
 n ) 
 
 
 
 x; : 
 
 
 W 
 
 y/ 
 
 *5 
 
 4-;; v 
 
 >-V' 
 
 /;• 
 
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 7% 
 
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 ft 
 
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 k '-I* ■. !! 
 
 v 
 
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 ii 
 
 
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 * — - 
 
 Fig . 24 , 
 
 Laying Gut Work For Second Year in a Rectangular Field 
 
 ' 1 
 
 )\ 
 
 (3 C } 
 
It is not necessary or desirable to extend the mark 
 furrows to the fences. If the strip to be back furrowed around 
 the field is made four rods wide, then it is not necessary to 
 bring the mark furrows closer to the fences than this. After 
 laying out the first turn strip, plow full depth to the next 
 corner (This is taken to be the southwest corner. The first fur- 
 row may be plowed around the field in either direction) . Keep 
 uniformly the 3ame distance away from the fence by sighting on 
 something in the distance which is the proper distance away from 
 the fence or by haying two boys walk ahead of the outfit with 
 a string stretched between them at right angles to the fence. 
 
 Have one boy walk close to the fence with one end of the string 
 and follow close behind the other boy with the outfit, taking 
 care thdt they keep the string taut between them. This method 
 is a quick and sure way of keeping the same distance away from 
 the fence in any case but it is an especially good way to do 
 the job right when the sides of a field are curved or otherwise 
 irregular. 
 
 When laying out the next and remaining turn strips, 
 remember to make them all either on the inside or on the outside 
 of the old dead furrows . This point will be better understood 
 by referring to the drawing. Since furrow No. 2 has been made 
 to lie outside of furrow No. 1, considering the ends of the 
 field as the -outside, furrows No. 4, No. 8, and No. 10 should 
 be made likewise to keep the work uniform. If the gate had been 
 in the southwest corner, it would have been handier to make the 
 turn strixi for that corner on the inside (north of. in this 
 case) of the old dead furrow, in which case the other turn strips 
 should similarly be located. 
 
 Furrows No. 6 and No. 12 should be plowed a little 
 closer to the fence than furrows No. 3 and No. 9, When the turn , 
 strips are made about forty feet wide, the amount to make these 
 furrows closer will be about twelve feet. The object of going 
 to this little trouble is to make the turning handier than it 
 would be otherwise. With the turn strips shifted to one side 
 and the first round made the same distance from the fences on 
 all sides, the reader will see that the turning cannot be hand- 
 ily done from one furrow directly into another. If the string 
 method is used, simply have one boy take up about twelve feet 
 of the string when going across the ends of the field. 
 
 When the turn Strips are all marked out and the first 
 round is completed, the next thing to do is to back furrow on 
 furrows No. 3 and No. 9, as indicated, until the width at A is 
 the same as the width at B. There will then be an equal width 
 all around the field to be back furrowed later, and the furrows 
 at the corners will be in the proper relation to make turning 
 easy when the body of the field is plowed, which is the next 
 step. Plow out the turn strips as soon as the body of the field 
 is plowed. The turning at the corner ends will offer no diffi- 
 culty if the strip around the field has been made as much as 
 three or four rods wide. Then back furrow around the outside 
 of the field, making square corners at first and turning to the 
 left and finally cutting... round, corners when there is no longer 
 room to turn to the left. Thus the field is neatly finished 
 with the least time lost in laying out the field and making the 
 corner turns. 
 
 There may be times wren it is not necessary or desir- 
 able to back furrow along all sides of the field. The procedure 
 
 ( 31 ) 
 
r 
 
 i 
 
 * 
 
 i 
 
 \ 
 
 f 
 
 i 
 
 4 
 
 i 
 
 ! 
 
 \ 
 
 
 Fig. 25. 
 
 Method Of Back Furrowing Along Side. 
 
 in 
 
 r ->c l 
 
 do 
 
 lib case is plainly s norm in Fig, 25 above. Do the neces- 
 *ack furrowing first, leaving a head land at each end to 
 - ' turning upon. These little head lands should be defini- 
 jt-.Lj- marked out .and .iici.ue sane /a. 1 1 o u ^ as the turn strips to 
 
 oe marked later. After the first round is plowed on the back 
 i- urrowxng , plow across the head, land with the furrows which are 
 thrown away from the fence, as shown. This will take care of 
 the ground m the corner. The rest of the head land is easily 
 plowed with the turn strip then the field is finished up. It 
 is eviaent shot the new deau furrow will fall in a new place. 
 
 ( 
 
 \ 
 
 3 2 ) 
 
G U P P L 3 M E ii T. 
 
 Adj u s tmen t A rid Ca ro Of Tract. o r Plow s . 
 
 A good even job of plowing if? in possible when the plow 
 is net in nr oper adjustment. Neither will a tractor plow give 
 continued satisfactory service over a long period witnout re- 
 ceiving intelligent care. It is in harmony with the purpose of 
 this book, therefore, to include a brief supplement on the ad- 
 justment and care of tractor plows. In what follows, no effort 
 has boon made to give specific directions concerning any certain 
 make of plow. These are properly included in the instruction 
 sheet which comes with the plow. The information given here is 
 what an experienced factory plow expert knows and what he would 
 give to an operator who was having trouble in the field. 
 
 When a tractor plow is not doing good work , the cause 
 may be traced to one or more of the following reasons: 
 
 1 . f h e h i t c h i s n o t cor r e c t . 
 
 2. The plow is not running level. 
 
 3. The seems are not parallel to the furrow. 
 
 4. The plow has been set up sc that one of the 
 bottoms is not in line with the others. 
 
 5. The front furrow wheel is not running where 
 it should in relation to the furrow bank. 
 
 6. The coulters are not properly set. 
 
 7. a beam is twisted out of its original shape. 
 
 3. The plow does not scour. 
 
 9. The shares are dull and worn , or changed in 
 shape by poor black smithing . 
 
 10. The plowing speed is below normal. 
 
 11. The lugs on the tractor drive wheels have 
 loosened the ton soil to tne extent that one furrow 
 is not thrown as high as the others. 
 
 The Hit ch . 
 
 The great majority of tractor plowing troubles c an oe 
 traced directly to incorrect hitching to the tractor. The prin- 
 ciples involved are few and. simple but they must be observed or 
 poor results will surely follow. Because the center of pull on 
 the tractor is not usually in line with the center of draft on 
 the plow, the problem of side draft must be met. This is especi- 
 ally important when the tractor runs with both drive wheels on 
 the unplowed land, hide draft will give no trouble if it is 
 equally divided between the tractor and plow, and herein lies 
 the solution to most hitch troubles. If all the side draft is 
 given to the plow, it will not run straight. If all of it is 
 given to the tractor, the plow -will run all right but the tract- 
 or will be hard to sneer and will want to crowd, towards the fur- 
 row . 
 
 As a rule, a plow works best with the tractor it is 
 regularly sold with. However, any tractor plow can be correct '-y 
 hitched to any standard tractor by the following method: v.fi:r 
 
 ( 33 ) 
 
- 
 
 V 
 
 v- ■ ,■ 
 
 Sr '\,v •- k< 
 
 . ■ ^ § 
 
 ii ' . % 
 
 o -• u 
 
 v'U 
 
 * 
 
 -S . ■ : > 
 
 V >* 
 
 , V A 
 
 • V/ C 4 -v. * ■ v r. 
 
 v 
 
 i’ig . 25. 
 
 Correct Lateral Hitch. 
 
 ( 34 ) 
 
opening the furrow , drop the plow and pull it into the furrow 
 in the position it is properly run. i . e. , with the front fur- 
 row wheel 0*70 inches array from the furrow wall , with the beams 
 parallel with the furrow, and with all bottoms plowing the 
 sane depth. Do this without paying any attention to where the 
 tractor is driven. Get the plow right first - it is going to 
 do the actual work of plowing the field. ,/hen the plow is pro- 
 perly locate* i , disconnect the tractor from the plow and drive 
 it ahead a rod or so to get it out of the way. How see that 
 the main drawbar of the plow hitch is fastened as close as pos- 
 sible to the center of draft on the plow. On a three bottom 
 plow, this point will be at the end of the middle bean. On plows 
 having an even number of bottoms, it will be between the two 
 middle beams. Li 3 connect any rods or braces which may be attach- 
 ed to the main plow drawbar so that it will be free to swing 
 sidewise. How give your attention to the tractor and back it 
 up so the plow so that it will be in the position that it is 
 desired to run. If it is meant to run in the furrow with one 
 drive wheel, place it there. If it is made to run with both 
 drive who- Is or: the unplowed ground, place it so that it is far 
 enough aw ay from the furrow to prevent breaking down the furrow 
 wall - usually eight inches are enough - and be sure that the 
 tractor is parallel to the furrow. If the tractor has a swing- 
 ing drawbar, allow it to swing freely. How connect the two 
 drawbars together and carefully drive the tractor ahead suffi- 
 ciently to take all the slack out of the hitch without moving 
 the plow. The side draft, if there is any, has been allowed to 
 compensate itself automatically between the tractor and plow by 
 using this method. How make the plow hitch rigid by fastening 
 the angle brace at the nearest hole and make the tractor draw- 
 bar rigid also. The outfit is now properly connected as far 
 as the lateral hitch is concerned. If the front furrow wheel 
 does not run two inches away from the furrow bank when the out- 
 fit is started, as it should, changing the angle brace one hole 
 either way will make it run right. A three bottom outfit is 
 correctly hitched when connected as shown in Fig. 26. 
 
 The vertical, while less important, must be correct 
 if the weight of the plow is to be divided equally between the 
 wheels and if the lifting mechanism is to 'work properly, a part 
 is attached to the front end of the plow beams which carries a 
 vertical row of holes. This is called the bridle of the plow 
 and it provides for the vertical hitch adjustment. The draw- 
 bar is correctly fastened to the bridle at the hole which lies 
 nearest the straight line drawn from the end of the tractor 
 drawbar to a point on the shin of the middle moldboard which is 
 two inches above the top edge of the share. This point is 
 known as the center of resistance of the plow. This adjustment 
 is made with the plow in the ground and it will vary with the 
 depth of plowing somewhat. A good way to check up on the verti- 
 cal hitch adjustment is to stand at right angles u o the outfit 
 and about a hundred feet away, from this position, it is easy 
 to see if the hole used on the bridle is on the line mentioned 
 above. If the drawbar is hitched too high, the front wheels 
 will carry too /much of the weight; if hitched too low, the weight 
 will be thrown on the rear wheel and there will be insufficient 
 traction on the front wheels to actuate the lifting nechani sm 
 as it is designed to work . fig. 27 shows the vertical hitch 
 in correct adjustment. 
 
 ( 35 ) 
 
A mining Level . 
 
 'Sven plowing cannot be expected when all the bottoms 
 are net plowing at the same depth. To make sure of this, actu- » 
 ally measure the furrow bank- behind each bottom or the thickness 
 of the furrow slices at the shin of the moldboard. Use the ad- 
 justing levers if it is found that the plow is not running level. 
 
 Parallel Beams . 
 
 Proper adjustment of the hitch will bring the beams 
 to run parallel to the furrow. 
 
 Lining Up Bottoms . 
 
 This can be quickly checked by holding a string tight- 
 ly across the points of the front and rear shares. If the point 
 of the middle share is slightly in front or behind the string, it 
 will not matter but if the point is over' a quarter of an inch 
 above or below the string, the ’working qualities of the plow 
 will he affected. This should be looked, after when the plow is 
 set up but it is not often done. If the plow is found to be 
 wrong in this respect, it can be made right by loosening the 
 bolts which fasten the bottom to the beam, or by exchanging the 
 two front bottoms if this' will not do it. If the beam is sprung 
 out of shape, it will have to be straightened or replaced with 
 a new beam. A plow will never run right with a twisted beam. It 
 is usually due to negligence in operating the plow without hav- 
 ing a wooden break pin or other safety device on the hitch. 
 
 front f u rrow Wheel . 
 
 Most operators make the mistake of running the front 
 furrow wheel against the furrow wall, as horse plows are usually 
 run. Since most tractor plows are made for this wheel to run 
 two inches away from the furrow wall, to run it against the wall 
 results in giving the front bottom two extra inches of furrow 
 width to turn. The first furrow is thus thrown higher than the 
 others and a poor job of plowing is the result. By keeping the 
 7/heel out where it belongs, the draft is lightened and the wheel 
 b oxi ng is saved f r om e xo e s s i ve we ar . 
 
 Co ul ters . 
 
 Much uneven plowing is due to improperly set coult- 
 ers. it stands to reason that the moldboard will turn the amount 
 of soil that the coulter cuts off for it. Therefore, if the 
 different coulters are set so that varying amounts of soil are 
 given to the different bottoms to turn, the plowing job is bound 
 to be uneven due to some furrows being thrown higher than others. 
 The coulter should be set three-quarters of an inch outside the 
 shin of the moldboard so that the lands ide will not rub on the 
 furrow bank and so that the bank will be cut clean. The axle of 
 the coulter should be directly above the point of the share and 
 the blade should not be run deeper than three inches except in 
 sod where it is necessary to cut off roots. To run them deep- 
 er in stubble will result in the trash being pushed ahead of the 
 blade instead of being easily cut through. The coulters should 
 be adjusted in the- field under operating conditions, especially 
 if they have become a bit wobbly. Keep coulter blades sharp. 
 
 Scouring , 
 
 To insure good scouring, the soil must be right, the 
 plow must be adapted, to the soil, the plowing speed must be suf- 
 ficient, and throwing the soil too much up hill should not be 
 
 ( 36 ; 
 
attempted. Y/.i th a new plow, t 
 ave patience until 
 
 he operator must plow sham 1 0 / and 
 
 h 
 
 the land polish 
 
 ■h 
 
 secured. Strong lye solu- 
 tion will take the paint off but it must not be lei t on morn* 
 than a few minutes, so take it to the field when starting out . 
 Swab the polished surfaces with used engine oil every night to 
 protect t hem f r om r u s t . It p ay s . 
 
 Share s . 
 
 It is 
 
 shares than to 
 shares through 
 should be given 
 will be apt to 
 qualities. An 
 
 cheaper to pay the blacksmith for sharpening 
 pay for the extra fuel necessary to pull bull 
 the ground. Only a. blacksmith of known ability 
 the work of sharpening shares. A poor smith 
 warp them out of shape or hurt their scouring 
 extra, set of shares will soon pay for themselve 
 
 s . 
 
 Plowin g Spe ed. . 
 
 Most tractor plows are designed to be drawn at the 
 same rate of speed that a horse travels when walking, or two and 
 one-half miles per hour. To plow in high gear usually overworks 
 the tractor and nothing is gained in the end. Low gear speed is 
 a comfortable working speed, and the most satisfactory for plow- 
 ing. If the draft of the plow is great enough to reduce the 
 speed of the outfit below that required for scouring, the remedy 
 is to reduce the load. 
 
 Lugs Loosening Th e Top Soi l . 
 
 Many times a tractor will be in perfect adjustment and 
 operated properly but its work will be uneven - usually the mid- 
 dle furrow is not as high as the others. At first blush, it is 
 a .rather puzzling case but the answer lies in the fact that the 
 lugs on the tractor wheels, especially when both wheels run over 
 the same ground, loosen the top few inches of the soil so that 
 when the furrow is turned, the loose soil rolls off into the 
 t urro'w . The result is that the bottom following the drive wheel 
 does not throw its furrow as high as the others. The same amount 
 ol soil is in each furrow, however, and the field will settle 
 level. 
 
 Oi l ing . 
 
 Oil the wheels, coulters, axle hangers, and lifting 
 mechanism parts frequently and regularly. If the coulters have 
 roller bearings, ’wash them in kerosene and repack with clean hard 
 oil once each week. If plenty of grease is kept in the wheel 
 
 ooxings, dirt cannot enter easily, 
 ture of air slaked lime and hard 
 the polished 
 '-vine , Ma 
 plow from 
 
 Keep all nuts tight, a mix- 
 
 iMPORTAfll 
 
 hara. 01 
 
 surfaces when laying up 
 ts and mice will not eat it 
 moisture indefinitely, and 
 
 is the best thing to use on 
 the plow for any length of 
 off, it will protect the 
 it will not harden. Try it. 
 
 put on a tractor plow for the 
 a wagon - to carry the load. 
 
 same reason 
 The tractor 
 
 Wheels are 
 are put on 
 
 be obliged to pull more than is necessary to cut off 
 1 ' : ~“s and tur 
 esistance 
 
 pulverized 
 
 that they 
 should not 
 the furrow sue 
 the fric -clonal 
 
 ^eight 01 the rear furrow wheel should be such that there will 
 oe about half an inch clearance under the rear end of the lanu- 
 
 1 them over 
 due to the 
 
 olus, of 
 
 weight of the plow 
 
 course 
 
 The 
 
 side. This insures that the weight of the plow will 'oe carried 
 
 op the wheels instead of being dragged on the bottom of the fur- 
 ;?;f- setting the rear furrow wheel to run a trifle towards 
 
 plowed ground, the landsides will be held away from the fur- 
 xow banks, thus lightening the draft at another important place. 
 
 ( 37 ) 
 
To the Reader; 
 
 In this little volume, an effort has 
 been made to answer every question that is 
 likely to arise in applying the Ahart Method 
 to any field which is adapted to power farm- 
 ing. if there is an individual problem for 
 which the solution cannot be found herein, 
 the reader is requested to send to the author 
 a rough sketch and brief description of the 
 j-iela, together with a stamped and self-address 
 ed envelope for reply. This service is made 
 without charge to purchasers of record. 
 
 "Boni 
 Bow C 
 
 ( 38 }