No. 112.] 153 



palje, of Rochester, the latter, the most extensive assortment, 

 contained many useful and important articles, the utility of 

 which has been tested by many farmers in the State. 



WILLIAM RISLEY, Chairman, Fredonia. 

 HENRY KEELER, South Salem, Westchester. 

 DAVID M. CROWELL, Rome, Oneida. 



COMMITTEE UPON MACHINERY, &c., UNDER CLASS 4, 



NO. 40. 



Would respectfully report : That there has been entered for their 

 examination a large number of articles, and although not in pri- 

 ority upon the list, still they beg leave first to state, that the plow, 

 an instrument so important and useful to the farmer, in numbers 

 maintained a great preponderance. The improvement in this im- 

 portant implement, and one so indispensable to the agricultural 

 interest, has in a measure kept pace with the spirit of the age. 

 An observer who can cast his eye backward for a period of only 

 forty years, and call to mind the farmer in those days with the 

 huge point of a wrought iron plow, strung upon a stick across his 

 shoulder, on his way to the nearest blacksmith to have it sharp- 

 ened, and then at the moment returning, glance upon this article 

 as to-day exhibited, manufactured and used, will be forcibly struck 

 with the contrast, and the advantage which mechanical skill 

 renders to agriculture, and we trust that mechanical genius will 

 not relax its effort to make the plow approximate still nearer 

 perfection. Among the great number exhibited, there w^as none 

 entered claiming consideration for new principles or arrange- 

 ments. The committee, however, take pleasure in saying that 

 they found among those of Ruggles, Nourse & Co's manufacture, 

 and marked and designated by them as numbers 73 and 73.^, a 

 principle they believe to be correct, and not heretofore in general 

 use. These plows were constructed ui»on true matlieniatical prin- 

 ciples, with the beam plumb and on a straight line with the land- 

 side ; the mold board upon a true lateral and vertical ]dane, 

 making the })r('ssure and wear equal upon both the land-side and 

 mold-board, thereby preventing the speedy wear of the former. 



