FARM IMPLEMENTS. 165 



PLOUGHS. 



There was but one lot of ploughs exhibited, and those by F. 

 F. Holbrook & Smith, of Boston. They were all excellent im- 

 plements. But one new and excellent improvement was in hav- 

 ing a detachable shoe on the land side, so that when the lip wears 

 away a new one can be put on at a slight cost, instead of having 

 an iron socket on the beam in which the handle is secured, 

 thereby avoiding the weak points produced by the tenon and 

 mortise. We would speak a good word for this hrm for their 

 endeavor, after having sold tools, to keep them in repair at the 

 least possible expense, by providing as above, and then selling 

 the repair pieces at a small profit instead of at a hundred per 

 cent., as some do. 



We would call particular attention of those unacquainted to 

 their swivel plough. It is somewhat uncouth in its appearance, 

 but it bears acquaintance, and will grow in favor ; for by it the 

 field is plouglied from one side, avoiding back and open furrows. 

 The mould-board swings under and to opposite sides, by the 

 natural motion of turning at the ends, rather helping than add- 

 ing to the labor of swinging. In addition to laying the field 

 flat, its action on the furrow-slice is excellent ; the mould-board, 

 being convex, has a stretching effect, drawing asunder the par- 

 ticles, instead of pressing and compacting like the concave 

 mould-board, and when the sod is thrown over it has a peculiar 

 sundered and loose appearance — an effect we shall more and 

 more appreciate as we better understand both the chemical and 

 mechanical importance of breaking the soil. But more of this 

 in connection with the next implement, — 



THE HARROW, 



But one of which was exhibited, a new patent, by Caleb 

 Bates, of Kingston. Its features being novel and on a new 

 principle, will warrant a description. It has an expanding frame, 

 like a cultivator without the handles. In the rear of the out- 

 side frames are verticle axles, on which are revolvers three feet 

 in diameter, and on the middle frame in front is one twenty- 

 eight inches in diameter. These are formed of metallic hubs, 

 from which extend five radial arms, with two teeth in each ex- 

 cept the front, which has one in each, making twenty-five teeth 

 in all. The mechanism which makes these three revolvers 



