DRILL }kL\CHINES. 



success in the light soils of Norfolk 

 and Suffolk, England. On the beam, 

 a, the coulters to prepare drills are 

 arranged, the whole being capable of 

 lateral motion, so as to compensate 

 for irregularities in the motion of the 

 horse. The arrangement by which 

 the grain is conveyed from the hop- 

 per, by small cups fixed on stems, 

 into the funnels, is also seen in the 

 section. The ends of the funnels 

 which deliver seed are free to move 

 a few inches, so as to overcome ine- 

 qualities in the ground. This imple- 

 ment is also arranged as a common 

 horse hoe, or scarifier, by taking off 

 the apparatus for sowing. 



The most important machine of 

 this class is the lever drill, which is 

 calculated to sow at a uniform depth 

 in uneven soils ; it is, however, ex- 

 pensive. 



In the annexed figure (9) the box 

 for sowing manure is not added, as it 

 is in the Northumberland drill. The 

 drill is supported on a frame and two 

 wheels. The box A, which holds the 

 seed, lets it down gradually into a 

 lower part, in which the cylinder, 

 which has the small cups fixed to its 

 circumference, is turned by the wheel 

 D. By means of the lever G this 

 may be raised so that its teeth are 

 freed from those of the wheel E, and 

 the motion of the cylinder is stopped. 

 The coulters which make the drills 

 are each fixed to a lever, at one end 

 of which, B, a weight is fixed to press 

 the coulter into the ground. Each 

 coulter has a separate lever, so that 

 it adapts itself to all the inequalities 

 of the soil. A chain proceeds from 

 the end of each, and may be wound 

 round a cylinder, C, by turning the 

 handles fixed to it at H, where there 

 is also a racket-wheel to prevent its 

 unwinding. The intent of this is to 

 raise all the coulters out of the ground 

 when the drill is not intended to act, 

 or is moved from place to place. 

 When the drill is used, the box A is 

 filled with seed, and the slide in it so 

 adjusted as to supply it regularly ; 

 the lever G, which was fixed down, 

 is raised, and the wheel D connected 

 with the wheel E. As the horses 



proceed the cylinder turns, the cups 

 take up the seed, and throw it into 

 the funnels, K K, which conduct it to 

 the drill behind the coulter. A light 

 harrow or a bush-harrow follows, 

 which covers the seed. In very loose 

 soils the roller completes the opera- 

 tion. 



Other forms and modifications of 

 this class of machines exist; thus, a 

 patent was taken out by Mr. Hornsby 

 for a drill to sow at intervals instead 

 of along the whole line. In the Uni- 

 ted States, drills have not been much 

 used ; BcmcnVs is similar to the one 

 in Fig. 1, and is somewhat employ- 

 ed for beans. Messrs. Pennock, of 

 Pennsylvania, have a patent for a 

 grain drill of considerable merit and 

 success. 



From the neglect with which such 

 contrivances have been treated, some 

 may suppose that they are not of 

 much value ; tliis is by no means the 

 case, as the following summary by 

 Mr. Binns shows : 



1. The seed is deUvered with reg- 

 ularity. 



2. It is deposited at proper depths. 



3. The weeds, during the growth 

 of plants, are destroyed with great 

 facility. 



4. The plants cultivated receive 

 the undivided benefit of the soil and 

 manure, and have not to maintain a 

 constant struggle with weeds. 



5. The land, by the process of hoe- 

 ing, is undergoing preparations for 

 another crop. 



6. The necessity of summer fallow- 

 ing is avoided. 



7. By admission of the sun and air 

 between the rows, a stronger and 

 healthier plant is produced, and of 

 course a heavier crop. 



8. By stirring the soil it is more 

 susceptible of benefit from the atmo- 

 sphere, imbibing more oxygen, and 

 being both warmed and enriched by 

 the sun. 



9. The roots shoot freely in pul- 

 verized soil. 



10. By drilling, the farmer is en- 

 j abled to have heavier crops of beans 



and wheat on light land. 



11. Clover and grass seeds answer 



243 



