MAINE STATE SOCIETY. 127 



stances under which plows must be used, and the different objects to 

 be attained, render a difference of construction absolutely necessary. 

 For instance, clayey and tenacious soils ought to be thoroughly 

 pulverized, and to effect this, they must be plowed w^ith a deep and 

 narrow furrow, and left as light as practicable. Sandy soils, on 

 the other hand, should be merely turned over, to expose a fresh 

 surface to the atmosphere, and to bury the surface vegetable matter, 

 without pulverizing or making the soil more loose — its lightness 

 being already too great to prevent the escape of the triform and 

 liquid matters which constitute the food of plants. It may be 

 observed, too, that plows of somewhat different construction are 

 required for rough and smooth land ; a shorter implement, especially, 

 being required for the former situation, in order to adapt itself to 

 the inequalities of the surface. It is obviously impossible that the 

 same plow can fulfil such antagonistic conditions ; and it therefore 

 becomes necessary to ascertain what are the best plows — not for 

 general purposes, but for the various special purposes to which they 

 must be applied." ' 



We endorse the above as being founded, in the main, in truth ; 

 but we apprehend Maine farmers are hardly ready to listen seriously 

 to these notions. Most farms embrace a variable soil, so that a sod- 

 plow even, must give place to another when it has accomplished the 

 particular piece for which the maker designed it. Then iox falloivs, 

 or old ground, another and different set of plows must be provided. 



The same Committee we quote above, confess to have fcund a 

 plow that appears to combine in a remarkable degree the somewhat 

 opposite qualities of ease of draft with pulverizing power, burying 

 the vegetable matter very thoroughly ; is not expensive ; the work- 

 manship is of the best quality; easily repaired; its use is easily 

 acquired by.the plowman. It is steady in its motion, requiring little 

 labor on the part of the plowman, and is susceptible of most accurate 

 adju3tment. It is no part of our business to show how these posi- 

 tions harmonize. This last discovery is a valuable one — finding so 

 many good points grouped in one implement. This eases us off a 

 little from that fearful condition of things, when a farmer must ha\e 

 a dozen or more plows to make up an available assortment. 



But how stand our Maine plows, when compared with one having 

 acknowledged "good points'"? When, where and with what results 



