An electrical method for the reduction of draught in ploughing

An electrical method is suggested for reducing the friction between a metal surface and soil, or other moist substances; and its possible application to soil cultivation is considered.Large reductions in friction were obtained in laboratory tests with a metallic slider moving over moist soil.Preliminary tests in the field demonstrated that the draught of a plough was reduced by applying a current between the coulter and the mouldboard. The magnitude of the reduction obtained with this arrangement was too small to have immediate practical value, but the possibility of increasing the effect is discussed.