40 



THE FARMER'S MONTHLY VISITOR. 



PMEMIUM CAST IRON PLOUGHS. 



Those ploughs are invented and manufactured by Messrs. Ruggles, Nourse collection of people, and a diploma from tlio Society. At the late Cattle Show 

 and Mason of Worcester, Mass. and may be had of Messrs. Ellis and Bosson, of tlic Worcester County Agricultural Society, no less than nine premiums 

 No. 34, North Market Street, Beiston. They are acknowledged to bo the most were awarded for their Ploughs and other agricultural implements. And at 

 perfect implements of the kind ever manufactured in this country, as well in the Cattle Show of the Kennebec County Agricultural Society in Winthrop, 

 respect to materials and workmanship, as in form of construction. TheAMEti- Me., in tlie heart of that most valuable agricultural County, their plough re- 



ICAN Institute of New York, in tlie very midst of numerous skillful com- 

 petitors, recently awarded to lluggles, Nourse and Mason, the prize medal for 

 the best and most perfect specimens of ploughs. At the Mf.chakics' Fair in 

 Portland, Me-i they drew forth highly gratifying encomiums from a numerous 



THE GKEEN SVVARU PLOUGH 



ceivcd the highest and most enthusiastic commendation from intelligent and 

 experienced practical farmers, who know when they have "(Ac very thing they 

 they want." There too they received the premium. 



(Fig. 9.) 



These ploughs are constructed upon principles founded in a thorough 

 knowledge of the best method of ploughing and cultivation, and of the greati 

 defects in the ploughs which have been, and still are, to some extent, in com- 

 mon use. 



It is estimated that there are from six to ten tons of vegetable matter to the a-, 

 ere in most soils, which, when decomposed, constitutes a rich dressing equal toj 

 the best manure. Every one knows, or ought to know, that to produce a 

 chemical decomposition of this vegetable matter, it should be turned under! 

 and excluded from the atmospheric air, which would dry up the moisture and 

 carry off the gasses necessary to the fermentation and decomposition. For 

 this purpose the furrow slice sliould be taken up and turned over by the plough' 

 without being broken or cracked, and laid closely and compactly side by side. 

 The more perfectly that is done, the more perfect and rapid is the decomposi- 

 tion, and the more fertilizing its effects. Most cast iron ploughs are too short 

 and concave to do that. They break and crack the furrow slice, and the fer- 

 tilizing and decomposing gasses evolved, are evaporated, and one half or more 

 of the useful effect is lost. 



These ploughs, by having more fulness and length of mouldboard, so form- 

 ed as to take up the slice with the greatest possible ease and turn it over with 

 the least possible bending or twisting, effect the very object desired. The 

 greater length they give to thelandside, keeps the plough running steadily and 



THE SIDE HILL 



[Fig- 



[smoothly. The face of the mould board is formed upon Wood's principles of 

 straight lines from where the slice is received upon the mould board to where 

 it leaves it, and from every other paint transversely. The slice thus bears 

 equally and therefore lightly over the whole surface, and is preserved unbrok- 

 en till laid over in its place. This is an important desideratum, too little un- 

 derstood or regarded in plough making. 



The true practical principle is, to make the plough to cut under but very 

 little — just enough to permit the slice to rise freely, and, when turned over, to 

 form a close joint with the preceding slice without riding it. Tlieir centre of 

 resistance is wnhin two inches of tlie landside, which shows how little resis- 

 tance there is on tlieir mouldboard, and how slight the friction. Their plough 

 requires very little power beyond what is necessary to cut out the furrow 

 slice. Nothing can work easier or more beautifully. They iiave also carried 

 the standard connecting with the beam, some six or eight inches farther for- 

 ward, securing greater strength to the beam and safety to the share. It 

 strengthens the wliole plough. 



There are reveral other improvements effected in these ploughs, among 

 which is tliat of chill-hardening the points and landside most exposed to wear, 

 wliich doubles their durability ; and tlieir castings are ground to ensure 

 smooth and easy work on first entering the soil. 



OR SWIVEL PLOUGH. 



10,] 



The.r&rfe-H.H or S«)irc/ Plough IS a -^aiuable improvement, and muci.ad-|they have several advantages over the common plough, leaving no back 

 mired by those who have used hem The plougliman, .n a lew seconds andl . dead furrows, ploughing nearer to, and turning the eSrth from the fences, 

 with ease, can shift the mouldboard and share Irom one side to the other so stumps, &c., and saving ntuch time and travel of the team in sweeping round 



I to turn a furrow either way. By this means the furrow slice may be al 

 ways turned down hill in going either way, the team going and returning on 

 Ihe same side of the land. They are also much used on level grounds, where 



[Fig. 11.] 



the ends of lands, and finishing up with short furrows. Being formed on the 

 B<ime principU as the green sward Plough, they perform tlie work nearly as 

 ;well. This also has been the subject of premiums. 



THE IMPROVED SEED SOWER. 



This machine is useful for sowing both large and small seeds, either in the 

 field or garden. The saving of seed in the use of this implement is said to bo 

 sufficient to pay the cost in a single year. The machine may be had of Ellis 

 & Bosson, Boston, or of the Shakers at Canterbury, N. H. 



A very important branch of gardening is the forming of a hot bed, which 

 should be made the latter part of this month. It enables the possessor to cul- 

 tivate many of the late .-viid valuable varieties of plants, which will not come 

 to maturity in our short seasons, unless they arc started earlier than they can 

 be in the open ground ; and to have the early varieties of vegetables fifteen or 

 twenty days sooner than he can without one. 



