Developmental History of Plough

A ploughman with country plough (photo location: Ullagary, Pirganj, Rangpur

Farming is perhaps the oldest industry in the world. Historians are generally in agreement that the earliest implement was probably a crude pointed bent stick or tree branch which was used to stir and break the soil surface. In effect, a hand-held hoe in which the user scratched at the earth to bring nutrients to the surface and let moisture penetrate the soil. This would then produce a suitable tilth and condition in which seeds could be sown.

Existence became closely linked to the success of crops. By cultivating the soil, germination improved, crop yields increased together with crop quality.

Over 4000 years ago, those basic hand-held tools soon developed into simple ‘scratch’ ploughs. These primitive ploughs were pulled by oxen, camels or even elephants and in some instances even their women folk were used. Animals enabled the land to be tilled more easily and faster, subsequently, producing more food for their families. These ‘scratch’ ploughs continued to be used for thousands of years.

The primitive plough made an open shallow furrow, pushing soil away to either side rather than inverting it. The ancient Egyptians made considerable advance in its design. They also succeeded in growing many crop varieties in their dry arid climate by devising complex irrigation systems. As depicted on many of their monuments, the development of the plough from hand-held sticks to implements pulled by animals put them far ahead compared to other civilisations. However, the Greeks and Chinese were not so far behind and further developed the Egyptian ploughs with wheels. These were known as ‘crooked’ ploughs because the beam curved forwards towards the draft animal. The fitment of wheels provided greater control and manoeuvrability. Oak was used for the share beam, elm the draught beam and iron for the shares. Iron at that time was very precious so plough metal would be reshaped into weapons in times of war.

Eventually, the plough was developed to cut a long soil slice and turn it upside down, burying surface residue, conserving moisture, aerating the soil and killing weeds.

The Romans were very efficient with their conquering advances, but their ploughs were simple and crude. Although there had been enormous advances from simple stirring sticks for these early ploughs to produce well tilled soil, the land had to be cross ploughed at right angles to the first operation to ensure all the land was well prepared for sowing. Following the Romans, Anglo-Saxon law required every ploughman to make his own plough and that no one was entitled to use one unless they constructed it themselves.

The origin of the word ‘plough’ is difficult to determine as throughout Europe the spelling is similar - ‘plog’, ‘ploh’, ‘pflug’, ‘ploeg’, ‘plogr’ and old Saxon ’plog’. Ploughs were fastened to draft animals by their horns, tails and later using their shoulders to pull the implement through the soil.

There was little attempt to change the design of the plough until the mid-1600’s with the Dutch being among the first to improve its shape. The change in shape was soon discovered by many, however, in Northern England and Scotland this was further developed. Joseph Foljambe from Rotherham built and patented a plough having what was described as, the perfect implement then in then in u se. Known as the ‘Rotherham Swing Plough’, because no depth wheel was used. It was constructed from a wooden frame with the fittings and coulter made of iron and the mouldboard and share covered with an iron plate. This new design was considered by all who saw it, to be more efficient and lighter to pull than any other kind at that time. For many years this design proved very popular and was used extensively up and down the country. It was perhaps the first to be factory produced on a large scale.

In 1763 a Berwickshire man, John Small, applied mathematical calculations and science to the mouldboard shape. He experimented with varying mouldboard curvatures and patterns, eventually producing a universal cast iron shape that would turn the soil more effectively with less force, wear and strain on the horse and ploughman. Over the years this ‘Scots Plough’ as it was known, was the beginning of the modern mouldboard plough.

Like our ancestors, we used to find improvements. Since the mid 1800’s, there has been enormous change in plough development. Horse ploughs soon became redundant for more efficient steam units with large multi furrow balance ploughs. These ploughs were pulled by cable up and down fields, with only the sound of a steam whistle to indicate a change of ploughing direction.

Using converted horse ploughs, the more manoeuvrable wheeled tractor slowly took over from steam in the early 1900’s and was the start of the modern system we are familiar with today. In the 1920’s when Harry Ferguson’s 3-point linkage appeared it totally revolutionised implement attachment, machine control and performance. This system of attaching an implement to a tractor is now universally used throughout the agricultural industry.

We have witnessed many changes in plough design. For example; in the UK the conventional plough (right hand bodies only) has now been superseded by the reversible plough because of its simplicity of use and the ability to produce level fields. This being an essential part of current farming practices as larger and wider implements are being used. Sprayers, combine and sugar beet harvesters, to name but a few, would not perform to the high standards expected unless the cultivated land was level. Compared to the ploughs being used in the 1950’s and 1960’s we can pick out some major changes in design which have been necessary to cater for the needs and pressures of modern farming.

Acknowledgment: Ploughmen