1868. 



NEW ENGLAND FARIIIER. 



357 



from a prune pit given her by the Rev. Mr. 

 Dull, of Kingston, N. Y., which he received 

 from Germany. It ripens the last of August, 

 from a week to two weeks later than our Yel- 

 low Gage. Branches downy. Fruit of medi- 

 um size, roundish-oval, very regular. Suture 

 scarcely perceptible. Stalk quite long, an inch 

 or more, straight and pretty stout, downy, 

 slightly inserted. Skin 'yellow, with numer- 

 ous imbedded white specks, and a thin white 

 bloom. Flesh yellow, rich, sweet, and lus- 

 cious in flavor. Separates almost entirely 

 from the stone, which is pointed at both ends. 

 Leaves dark green. Easily distinguished 

 from Yellow Gage by its longer and stouter 

 stalk." 



LETTER FROM MR. BROWN". 



Brattleboko', Vt., June, 1868. 



About one year ago, the N. Y. State Agri- 

 cultural Society invited the makers of ploughs, 

 in any State of the Union, in Canada, and in 

 Europe, to bring their ploughs together at 

 Utica, N. Y., and compete for certain prizes 

 which the society offered. They had previous- 

 ly had one trial at Auburn, which developed 

 so many interesting circumstances in relation 

 to ploughs and ploughing, that the cost of 

 another trial seemed justified, and was in- 

 curred. That trial took took place at Utica, 

 N. Y., May 7, 1867. 



At this trial, also, many developments took 

 place with which most ploughmen were not 

 familiar, and were all carefully recorded and 

 reported in the Transactions of the Society. 

 So far as contrasting the qualities of differently 

 constructed ploughs was concerned, these trials 

 were sufhcient and satisfactory ; but neither the 

 objects of the enterprise, nor the character of 

 the soil, were adapted to develop the powers 

 of a good plough in very many particulars. 

 Learning that the soil on the Connecticut river 

 bottoms was such as the judges desired for a 

 further trial, they wrote Gov. Holbrook, at 

 Brattleboro', to secure a suitable field, furnish 

 ploughs and teams and attend them in the trial. 

 The grounds selected were a portion of a field 

 of 150 acres belonging to the Asylum for the 

 Insane, and quite near the village. 



The judges, and principal managers in the 

 tests that were made, were the Hon. John 

 Stanton Gould, of Hudson, N. Y., a former 

 president of the N. Y. State Agricultural So- 

 ciety, and Henry Waterman, Esq., of the 



same place. These gentlemen are educated and 

 thoroughly scientific persons, in the full vigor 

 of life and intellect, and are extensively known 

 as experts in most matters relating to science 

 and art. I do not remember ever to have 

 met before two persons so intimately acquaint- 

 ed with the principles that govern mechanism 

 in all its forms. The State society selected 

 them because they possessed these rare quali- 

 ties, and commissioned them to make the most 

 exhaustive trials with the plough. Two other 

 gentlemen were present, both of whom have 

 given as much thought to the plough as any 

 two men that are living, namely : Joel 

 NouRSE, Esq., of Boston, and Gov. Hol- 

 brook, of Vermont. They assisted the judges, 

 and gave minute attention to all the diversified 

 changes which were introduced ; and the judges 

 found, in persons so thoroughly familiar with 

 the sulsject as they were, great help in their 

 complicated investigations. Mr. Henry 

 Brooks, of Acton, Mass., held the ploughs 

 during the three days' trial. Such were the 

 operators. Mr. Henry M. Tucker, one of 

 the Editors of the Country Gentleman, and 

 myself, came to see, and to- tell the world 

 what we saw. Several other gentlemen were 

 present who are interested in ploughs and 

 ploughing, among whom was the Hon. John 

 S. Keyes, of Massachusetts. 



The ploughs used were five in number, some 

 one of which, it was supposed, would be adapted 

 to any condition of soil where a plough would 

 be called into use, and were all devised, I be- 

 lieve, by Mr. Holbrook. The trial was not, 

 then, one to ascertain which of a great variety 

 of ploughs is the best, but to ascertain, — 



1. The relative increase of power required 

 for each inch of depth ploughed, the width of 

 furrow being constant in all cases. 



2. To determine the amount of power re- 

 quired for each inch of breadth of furrow, the 

 depth being constant in all cases. 



3. To determine the relative power required 

 by the coulter and skim plough. 



4. To determine the portion of force re- 

 quired by each of the individual parts of the 

 plough. 



5. To ascertain the Influence of velocity on 

 draft. 



6. To show the influence of the adjustment 

 of tlie plougJi on draft. 



As a general result, these trials showed the 



