No. 8. 



Tlie Boston Centre-draught Plough, 



241 



THE BOSTON CENTRE-DRAUGHT PLOUGH, 



Prouty <Sf Mears' Self-Sharpening Patent. 



DIRECTIONS FOR USE. 



These Ploughs when at work, must not be set upright on the land side, but be permitted to take a bias, or 

 leaning towards the furrow, as when standing on a floor or level ground, by which the soil- will be broken up 

 and turned completely over, witli the precision of the spade. Should the point work loose, unscrew the share- 

 bolt and insert a small piece of paper under the neck of the point, or the land side of the socket, and screw up 

 tight. The coulter must be set in exact line with the land side of the plough, from the point upwards; and on 

 no account are its services ever to be dispensed with; yet it need not extend lower than within three or 

 four inches of the point of the plough; sufficient, if the surface of the laud be cut three or four inches deep, the 

 remainder breaking up easier than it can be cut. If the plough* goes too much on the point, shorten the 

 traces; by raising or lowering the wheel — care being taken that no more pressure be thrown upon it, than 

 just sufficient to keep it on tlie ground— any depth, from three to ton inches may be carried with the greatest 

 regularity, without regard to the inequality of the surface of the land, or the extra aid of the ploughman. 

 More or less land, to the greatest exactitude, can be given or taken, by changing the direction of the clevis to 

 the right or left. For two horses, mules, or oxen abreast, hook the rod into the centre notch, bring it 

 to the centre of the clevis, and regulate the going of the plough, by giving more or less land, in the customary-l^ 

 way. If by accident, a point break at the shoulder, reverse it, fold a piece of paper about the neck, and screw 

 it into the socket. Worn-out points make excellent wedges for splitting wood. From 50 to GO acres of land, 

 according to the nature of the soil, may be ploughed with one point and share, at the charge of about one cent 

 per acre, for Blacksmith's bill. 



Editor of the Farmers' Cab., 



Dear Sir, — I send you an engraving of 

 the Centre-drauglit plough, with the newly 

 invented ffearing- of Prouty & Mears, re 

 questing that you would be pleased to give 

 it a place in the pages of the Cabinet. The 

 advantages of the present arrangement are 

 numerous and great: by it, the beam is se- 

 cured from breaking, while the draught, ex- 

 tending back beyond the standard, gives a 

 degree of pressure sufficient to keep the 

 plough into the ground in case of obstruc- 

 tions, but it is so nicely adjusted, that it adds 

 nothing injurious in the way of friction. 

 The situation of the wheel, affixed to the 

 beam on its land side, and extending beyond 

 the parallel line of draught, enables the 

 ploughman to carry the last, or closing fur- 

 row, without difficulty ; the wheel passing 

 along the open furrow to the left, and not 

 running on the single furrow-slice, as it 

 must do, when placed immediately under 

 the beam. By the arrangement at the head 

 of the plough, the smallest portion can be 

 given or taken, whether in the elevation or 

 depression of draught, or more or less land ; 



the nuts of the screws working so easily, as 

 not to require the use of the wrench, either 

 for loosening or tightening them ; while the 

 whole combination is so mathematically ad- 

 justed as, in land free of stones or other ob- 

 structions, to carry the plough perfectly 

 straight, set to any depth and width of fur- 

 row required, without the aid of the plough- 

 man, otherwise than to turn it in or out at 

 the ends of the lands; the ascending or de- 

 scending of hills, forming no obstacle, the 

 handles requiring neither lifting up or press- 

 ing down, as in the case when the swing 

 plough is used on such occasions. By this 

 new arrangement, such an uniformity of 

 pressure and steadiness of draught are ac- 

 quired, that the labour of the team and 

 ploughman might be said to be reduced 

 about one half 



These ploughs of several sizes, of most 

 superior workmanship and the best mate- 

 rials, may be obtained of D. O. Prouty, at 

 his Seed and Agricultural Warehouse, No. 

 176 Market street, Philadelphia. 

 Respectfully yours, 



James Pedder. 



