94 



THE YEAR-BOOK of AGRICULTURE. 



both figure?. This agricultural implement is in many respects like a common plow; it has a 

 beam A and handles B B, united to an Inclined bar C, to which the scoop or plowshare D is 

 attached. The scoop is formed with two angular moul l-boards </ a, forming an angle. The 

 improvement consists in providing these mould-boards with .slots ddd, arranged in vertical di- 

 rections, or nearly so; that is, standing upwards rather than horizontally. The planes of 

 these sluts are disposed parallel to eacli other and to the plane of the beam, and they are each 

 made to extend from near the bottom of each mould-hoard to near the top of the same. Through 

 these slots the dirt passes while the machine is used in plowing through or digging into a po- 

 tato-field, the potatoes being thrown upon each side of the furrow and left in full sight. This 

 mould-hoard works through the earth or soil, acting like a seive, raising and separating the 

 potatoes from the earth, and leaving most of the earth or soil in its place. 



There can be no questiou about the simplicity of this potato-digging plow : it raises the po- 

 tatoes and leaves them only to be gathered up, which labor can lie performed by boys. The 

 claim is for the construction of the potato plow, with slots standing vertically or nearly so, and 

 having their respective planes parallel to a vertical plane passing through the draught-beam. 

 Digging potatoes is a severe and tedious operation ; any machinery to obviate the manual 

 labor in this department of agriculture should be welcomed by all those engaged in farming. 

 Vic have been assured l>y Mr. Bundy that it will turn out several acres of potatoes in a day, 

 and that it can be handled with as much facility as a common plow. — Scientific American. 



This machine obviates the necessity of pulling up the tops, as they do not obstruct the ope- 

 ration of the digger, which may also be used as a cultivator for ordinary purposes. 



Ellis's and Gordon's Excavating Machine. 



Tnis improvement of Messrs. Ellis and Gordon, of Rochester, N. T., consists in the mode 

 of operating the excavating machine by placing it within the circuit of an endless chain, which 

 passes over a pulley anchored at one point, and over or around a capstan at another point, so 

 that the machine shall form a part of the endless chain, and be operated forwards and back- 

 wards by it. 



Securing and Setting Harrow Teeth. 



The accompanying figure is a perspective 

 riew, representing an improved modeof securing 



and Betting harrow teeth, for which a patent 

 was recently granted to E. L. Hagar, of Frank- 

 fort, Herkimer co., N. Y. The improvement 

 relates to a new method of securing the teeth 

 in the frames of harrows; also in rendering 

 tluni oapables of being adjusted from a vertical 

 to an oblique position, and set to any depth de- 

 sired. A represent- a BOOtion of a harrow-frame 

 B E. 1> V. is a metal casting set in an inclined 

 recess, cut in the inner edge of the section \. 

 This casting is provided with two square holes a /< in its lower horizontal portion D — one run- 



ning in a vertical and the other in an oblique direction. The projecting parts B E of the 



ting form two grooves F 0, of a similar shape and size as the holes a h — one of which run- 

 in an oblique direction in line witli the hole ,i, and the Other in a vertical direction in line with 



the hole /,. On the plate l'«. forming the back tides of the gi vee I-' G, tongues e d are ca t. 



The tongue rruu< at righi angles to the p V e p, and '/at righl angles to the groove Q. Tl 



tongues enter notches cut in the side- of the narrow teeth, and aid in keeping said teeth in 



II is a harrow tooth. It i< made square or many-sided, e e c are the adjusting QOtches 



or 'i proves which are oas( in one of the tides of the tooth. These notches receive 



the tongues a- r eprese nted. The tooth II. when it i- to be set obliquely, Is passed through the 



hole '/. and fitted as shown in th r (J. and when set in a vertical position, i 



through the hole /, and fitted in the groove F. I .1 is a chimp or elbow-shaped -crew-bolt 



