74 



FARMING IMPLEMENTS.— No. of Extries, 43. 



Judges. — No. 1. — John B. Smith, Milwaukee; A. A. Bird, Madison; E. Wood 

 CoRNEs, Whitewater; J. W. Stillman, Milwaukee; Wm. Mulks, AVhitewater. 



Judges. — No. 2. — L. F. Blake, Whitewater ; D.F.Cogswell, Brookfiel<3; C. 

 Densmore, Janesville; W. R. Higgins, Kenosha; Adam E. Hay, Troy. 



Best plough, J. Milton ^lay, Janesville. Diploma. 



MAY'S IMPROVED STEEL PLOUGH. 



Two of the leading peculiarities of this plough, which was recommended by 

 the Committee for the first premium of .the Society, are these : 



Fu-st — The post, connecting the plough wnth the beam, passes up the side of 

 the beam, and extends across, or partly across, its upper side, and is fastened by 

 a siuo'le bolt. This mode p'ives several advantages: — 1. The entire streno-th of 

 the beam is retained — the cutting of a mortice through the beam, as in other 

 ploughs, being obviated, 2. The facility it aftbrds in wooding ploughs rapidly, 

 and adjusting the draft with the utmost precision. And 3. In preventing straw 

 and stubble from gathering under the beam and clogging the plough. It is foimd 

 by experiment that the plough-post may be of less length and the beam from 

 two to four "inches nearer the surface of the ground, ^Yhen this mode of fastening 

 is adopted. The action of the furrow, as it is elevated and turned, cari'ies with it 

 straw, &c. without meeting the resistance of the corner of the beam as in the old 

 style of wooding. 



Second — The form of the mould-board and share : — A better idea of this, 

 perhaps, cannot be given than by a quotation from the specification in the letters 

 patent, in which a semicone is described, by which the conic form of the share 

 and mould-board is illustrated. 



" For a plough of ordinary size and for ordinary purposes, twenty-eight inches 

 may be the base of the cone, and the height or apex one hundred and twenty 

 inches; although the angle of the cone may vary according to the lightness, or 

 heavy and compact natui-e of the soil. The share and mould-board are placed 

 on the cone in a diagonal position. 



" A diagonal line is commenced at the extremity of the base of the cone, and 

 departing from the line of the cone two and a half inches in sixteen inches, in- 

 clining this line to the left for a right-hand plough, and to the right for a left- 

 hand plough. Now place the point of the share at the extremity of the base of 

 the cone and the edge of the share on this diagonal line, and let the share and 

 mould-board be made to conform to the cene. The conic form of share and 

 mould-board, gives great ease to the draft of the plough, and great perfection 



