98 THE YEAR-BOOK OF AGRICULTURE. 



sides and edges of the plunger C, when it is drawn out of the ground into the chamber D. 

 Any suitable device may be used for gnaging the stroke of the plunger to vary its depth of 

 hole for the seed. E is the handle of the plunger C ; it is placed obliquely to the plunger, 

 and is used by the operator to give the plunger an oblique direction into the soil. The im- 

 plement is carried and used as shown, like a walking cane, requiring no delay, and is easily 

 operated. The person using it steps from hill to hill, striking the implement into the 

 ground, like a cane, causing the short front plate H to enter the soil, the ^top plate I to 

 bear on the earth, and the plunger C to eject the corn or seed through the bottom of the 

 receiving chamber D, and force it to its required depth obliquely into the ground, after 

 which, by raising the handle, the plunger C is elevated in the same oblique direction, the 

 stop-plate I answering for a fulcrum during lateral strain upon the plunger in drawing it 

 out, whereby the earth is shaken over the seed, and covers it; the scrapers and side flanges 

 also scrape back all soil from the plunger, making it fall on the seed, so that the perfect 

 covering of it is thus fully insured. It is thus more certain in its operation than if it made 

 the hole for the seed perpendicular, and carried the soil up instead of covering each hill 

 with the implement as it is rising out of the opening in the soil. The two simple motions 

 of this implement or machine only pressing down and lifting it up like a walking stick by 

 which the hole is made, the seed fed down and deposited, the seed-box closed, and the seed 

 covered by the soil, makes it superior to those hand-planters which require a number of 

 motions to accomplish the same objects. The weight of this implement is about seven 

 pounds, and its cost five dollars. The editor of the Scientific American states that he was 

 a witness to the planting of a quarter of an acre of corn with one of these planters in 

 twelve minutes. 



Dana's Hand Corn-Planter. Another corn-planter, the invention of Charles H. Dana, of 

 New Hampshire, is constructed in a manner similar to the above-described instrument, and 

 is said to work well. The internal arrangements are such that when the planter strikes the 

 ground, a slide attached to the handle is pressed down, which opens a cavity or charger, by 

 which means the desired number of kernels of corn fall through a branching groove at the 

 bottom of the machine upon an iron plate, which is closed upon a spade which pierces the 

 earth and makes a receptacle for the corn. On lifting the machine by its handle, the iron 

 plate opens from the spade, and the corn is left in the ground. Thus a man will plant with 

 accuracy as fast as he chooses to walk across the field. 



Hand seed-planters are but of recent date, but their convenience and superiority to hand- 

 planting and covering with the hoe have given them an extensive circulation in a very few 

 years. One man, with a hand-planter like this, especially in well-plowed land, will plant 

 four times as much corn, rice, beans, pease, &c., as four men depositing the seed by the 

 hand, and covering with hoes. The economy of such an implement for every farmer is self- 

 evident. 



It has been also asserted that the use of these hand-planters is advantageous in hastening 

 germination, and for the following reasons: The seed is forced by pressure obliquely from 

 the surface of the ground to the required depth, thus insuring the immediate absorption of 

 moisture, by bringing it into perfect and hard contact with the soil under and around it, 

 while the earth falling loosely over cannot obstruct the coming up and growth of the blade. 



Barnharfs Hand Corn-Planter. A patent, for an improved corn-planter (a hand imple- 

 ment) has also been granted to Andrew J. Barnhart, of Schoolcraft, Michigan. It makes 

 the hole, drops the seed, and cover it by a simple operation. A small hollow cylinder or 

 piston works within another containing the seed; by one stroke downwards this hollow 

 piston makes a hole by taking up the earth, and then the seed drops down ; the return stroke 

 deposits the earth formerly lifted upon the top of the seed, and covers it. 



Wells's Patent Grass Seed-sower. 



THE object of this invention, by Mr. Wells, of Virginia, is to facilitate the sowing of grass 

 and clover-seeds, and, at the same time, prevent waste by unequal distribution. 



The machine consists of a narrow box or trough ten feet in length, with a zinc bottom 



