PLOWS AND PLOWING. 281 



use among the farmers of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania 

 as late as 1850. Still later than this, Jethro Wood of Scipio, N. Y., 

 obtained several patents, the last of which, dated September, 1819, 

 contained his most mature views upon the subject, and describes a 

 pattern which he never improved upon. Very larg|^ numbers of 

 plows were made from his patterns. The sales in the city of New 

 York, in the year 1820, amounted to some 4,000, and largely ex- 

 ceeded the sale of any other plow then made. David Hitchcock 

 of New York, constructed a plow which he patented in 1823, 

 which had a large sale for eight or ten years. He made seven 

 sizes, none of which would work at a greater depth than five 

 inches, and the best work was done at a depth of four inches. 

 These would hardly meet the wants at the present day of the deep 

 tillage disciples of the Tribune Philosopher, and for this reason, or 

 some other, have been superseded. 



Among the most successful improvers of the plow of this gener- 

 ation stands the name of Joel Nourse of Boston, he having made 

 and sold more plows than any other man, probably, in the world. 

 Mr. Nourse learned the blacksmith's trade of his father. At the 

 age of nineteen his father gave him his freedom, and entered into 

 partnership with him. They began the manufacture of the old- 

 fashioned wooden plows by employing an expert workman to make 

 the wood work, while they made the iron work. Mr. Nourse liked 

 to converse with the farmers who visited the shop, and as he had 

 a keen eye, a quick ear, and a dexterous hand, he caught up all the 

 hints dropped in conversation and wrought them into his plows. 

 These improvements caused a rapidly increasing demand for his 

 work. From these humble beginnings grew the immense business 

 of the celebrated firm of Euggles, Nourse & Mason ; and to the 

 genius of Mr. Nourse we are indebted for the celebrated Eagle 

 plows, so long manufactured by that firm and their successors. 

 From the year 1841 to 1861 these plows reached the sale of 25,000 

 annually. 



The names of Prouty and Mears are associated with the invention 

 and manufacture of a series of plows which were extensively used 

 all over the country. Many of the cast iron plows first introduced 

 into this State were manufactured by that firm. They first manu- 

 factured and sold the Hitchcock plow. Mr. Mears soon saw their 

 imperfections, and as he was an ingenious mechanic, set himself to 

 correct them. Tke result was the centre draught principle on 

 which their series of plows was ever after, and are still manu- 



