No. 112.] 117 



Pennock of Pensylvania, by which wheat was deposited in the 

 earth with regularity and at uniform depth ; it planted corn also 

 when desired at equal distances ; the use of this machine gave 

 an impetus to drill husbandry, inducing the belief of utility and 

 economy. 



The advantages claimed for these machines, are : 



1. Regularity in delivery of the seed. 



2. It is deposited at the proper depth. 



3. Facility of destroying weeds during the growth of the 

 plant. 



4. No loss of nutriment by feeding weeds. 



5. Free admission of sun and air. 



6. Economvof seed. 



7. Less loss from winter-killed grain. 



These and other advantages are strongly claimed, probably 

 upon insufficient proof for adoption in all the States of the Union. 

 Yet it cannot be reasonably doubted that in the soil of the U. S., 

 covering an area of one hundred and eighty-four millions of 

 acres of improved fields, large tracts can be economically seeded 

 by well constructed drills, especially in the corn growing region?, 

 and wherever the cost of labor will permit the crreful farmer to 

 eradicate weeds from his wheat fields. 



Recent improvements in this department of agricultural me- 

 chanics, have brought into use several machines, simple in con- 

 struction, more perfect in their performance, and less expensive 

 in cost than the complex drills of other days. Such is the char- 

 acter of the Drill Machines presented for trial to your committee, 

 to whom it seems evident that the simplicity of construction now 

 achieved has reduced the application of physical eflbrt and the 

 lia])ility to become deranged ur worn ; this improvement, though 

 last named, is not inferior in importance to many others, as it too 

 often has tested severely the patience of the farmer, when the aid 

 of the mechanic is needed by repeated demands during the plan- 

 ting of a crop. 



The following table contains such facts as could be derived 

 during the investigation and trial. The work performed by the 



