240 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Jethro Wood of New York, in 1S19, was the first in this 

 country to cast the plough in sections, so that the part most 

 exposed to wear might be replaced by another cast from the 

 same pattern. Large numbers of ploughs were made from 

 patterns furnished by him, and even to this day there are 

 many ploughs made in various parts of the country, which de- 

 part very slightly from the principles established by him, 

 which were the peculiar lines of the mould-board. There can 

 be no doubt that this plough became very popular, and did 

 more to drive out the wretched and clumsy ploughs of the 

 olden time than any other which had then been invented. 



Mr. Wood was so harassed by infringers and b}'^ lawsuits, 

 that he made nothing by this most important invention, and 

 died poor. Many years after, the legislature of New York, 

 in consideration of the immense benefit from his invention 

 to the people of the country, donated the sum of two thou- 

 sand dollars to his daughters. 



From this time the iron plough became a success, and hun- 

 dreds of patents have been issued for improvement in the 

 curves and lines of the mould-board, the form of the beam 

 and landside, the cutters, wheels, and various attachments 

 for easing and regulating the draught. 



The " swivel" or " side-hill plough," or, as it is termed in 

 Scotland, the "turnwrist," has been used in Kent, in Eng- 

 land, for more than one hundred years, and, as modified for 

 use in our country, is one of our most useful implements on 

 fiat lands, as on side hills ; the furrows can be turned in the 

 same direction whether going or coming, the hateful " dead 

 furrow" is avoided, and the team is a little rested in turn- 

 ing. 



One of the earliest laborers in this field was Thomas Jef- 

 ferson, formerly president of the United States, who, in a 

 communication to the French Institute, attempted to solve the 

 mathematical problem of the true surfiice of the mould-board, 

 and to lay down intelligible and practical rules for its forma- 

 tion for the first time. He saw very clearly, and was the 

 first one to discern with distinctness, that the plough should 

 consist of two Avedges, one acting vertically and the other 

 laterally, which should be so blended in a curved surfoce 



