Hutton Highlights, June 2019

Old Scots plough – used with oxen Small’s plough – used with horses High Suffolk plough – used with horses Just like the modern Institute does, James Hutton played a significant part in driving technological innovation and progress in agriculture. He even hosted potentially one of the earliest recorded working farm demonstrations; a means of peer-to-peer learning promoted by many of our projects today. One area he influenced actively was ploughing. The ox-pulled Scots plough used at the time was heavy, clumsy, inefficient and wooden. In Norfolk, Hutton purchased a ‘high Suffolk’ plough, hired a ploughman and brought them to Berwickshire. The neighbours were intrigued with this assortment of companions and belongings and no less with his attempt to plough with a horse in front and no driver. Hutton is likely to have worked with Berwickshire blacksmith James Small, who designed the famous ‘swing plough’ that revolutionised ploughing. Thanks to Denise Daly-Walton and Euan Caldwell for the research and information here. James Hutton and agri-tech Contact Tel: +44 (0) 344 928 5428 Fax: +44 (0) 344 928 5429 info@hutton.ac.uk www.hutton.ac.uk Funded by: