152 



GENESEE FARMER. 



June. 



V^^-^ 



CRAGGS & REYNOLDS' GRAIN DRILL AND FERTILIZER. 



The drilling system is verv properly at- 

 tracting the attention of grain gi owing farmers 

 in various sections of the Union. We have 

 freqiiei/lly called the attention of our readers to 

 the subject, and given sucli information ns would 

 lend to exliil)it its value to the growers of wheat 

 and other grain. Many of our exchanges are 

 of late agitating the question, and we observe 

 frequent notices of the drilling machines in use, 

 or being introduced. Pennock's Drill is much 

 used in eastern Pennsylvania, Maryland and 

 Delaware, and in some sections of New York, 

 and gives very general satisfaction. Tlie Genk- 

 SEfc; Farmer was, we think, the first agricultural 

 journal which gave a figure and description of 

 this valuable implement. 



Our present purpose is to call the attention of 

 those interested in the subject to a new Grain 

 Drill and Fertilizer recently patented by Messrs. 

 Craggs & Reynolds. It is represented in the 

 above engraving. The proprietors claim for it 

 many advantages over the drills in use in this 

 country — particularly in sowing any line lertili- 

 zing substance at the time of seeding. An ad- 

 vertisement, in this number of the Farmer, 

 states where the machine may be obtained. 



As we have had no opportunity of examining 

 this implement, or seeing it in use, we cannot 

 express a decided opinion as to its merits. But 

 if the testimony we have heard in its favor is 

 correct, as we have no reason to doubt, it is 

 worthy of a trial by our grain growing farmers. 

 The following connnunication is from an expe- 

 rienced farmer of this county : — 



Messrs. Editors : — I was gratified to 5:ee an 

 article in the May number of the Farmer from 



the pen of Mr. Sperry, on the subject of Drill- 

 ing in Seed. Any subject that relates to im- 

 provement in farming or farm implements can- 

 not but be interesting to the progressive agricul- 

 turist ; and as we are very liable to be disap- 

 ,)ointed in the wheat crop, by injury from the 

 ily, or its being killed by freezing during winter 

 and spring, any metho i that may be devised to 

 obviate these difliculties must prove of great 

 value. 



Believing as I no that we ought to communi- 

 cate as well as receive information, allow me to 

 direct the attention of your readers to a machine 

 which has not yet been generally introduced. 

 I allude to Craggs & Reynold's Drill and Fer- 

 tilizer, which, I believe, is admitted by those 

 who have used or examined it, to be the most 

 perfect article of the drill kind ofTered to the 

 Americati farmer. In my opinion tiiis Drill 

 po!<sesbes many advantages over others which I 

 have examined. I do not, in this brief commu- 

 nication, intend to institute a comparison of the 

 merits of the various drills now before the pub- 

 lic, (as I have no pecuniary interest in either,) 

 farther than to state thrit, in my judgment, the 

 great distinguishing quality of Craggs & Rey- 

 nold's Drill is, that it deposits any fine fertilizing 

 substance, such as lime, aslies, plaster, charcoal, 

 &c., regularly as machinery can do it. Last 

 fall I had some five acres of wheat drilled in 

 with this machine. A part of the same field 

 was sown broadcast, by hand. That which 

 was drilled in appears decidedly best. I think 

 all 1 have to fear is that it is too thick, as I used 

 the same quantify of seed in drilling that I did 

 in sowing broadcast. From present appear- 

 ances I tliink I should have used at least one 



