One of the most basic of agricultural operations, ploughing enriches and aerates the soil, producing a fertile seed bed ideal for the germination and growth of a new crop.

The technology of ploughs has progressed a long way from the primitive prehistoric ard to the tractor-mounted power-controlled multi-furrow reversible plough of today but the process of ploughing remains essentially the same.

This book examines the development of ploughs and their motive power (including oxen, horses, steam engines and tractors) from earliest times and shows how ploughing has evolved as understanding of the scientific processes has increased.