History of the Plow. 79 



(See Fis". 3.) This strip may be about a fourth of au iuch thick 

 at or uear the point of the mould-board, tapering to an edge at 

 the other end, and about half or three-fourths of an inch wide. 

 This strip should be made of such thickness as to set the point of 

 the share level with the after part of the plow; and as the siil)- 

 stance of it is somewhat elastic, the tendency is to diminish the 

 sharpness of the stroke, which would be produced if the castings 

 were to come together. The principal advantage, however, of 

 this method of affixing the share is that it affords an opportunity 

 of adjusting the point and edge of the share, so that when the 

 point and edge of the share have worn to a level on the under 

 side, the piece of wood may be taken out and another inserted of 

 about half the thickness, and then, again, if required, the whole 

 may be taken out. By this operation the point or edge is let 

 down as much as is necessary each time. It, at the same time, 

 inclines the point of the share to the land, which is as necessary 

 as to set it deeper. When worn as long as it can be in this man- 

 ner, strips of wood may be inserted between the upper edge of 

 the share and the mould-board, which will adjust it still more, as 

 was recommended by Richard B. Chenoweth in the use of his 

 plow. 



" In making my cast iron shares and shoes, if I use a metal which 

 is not too high, I have one-half of the mould made of cast iron 

 and the other part of sand, in the usual way. The shares and 

 shoes are thus rendered more uniform and less troublesome to 

 mould, and consequently cheaper. 



" In respect, therefore, to the share, whether of Avrought or 

 cast iron, I claim the shape of the point and edge as of my inven- 

 tion, together with the modes of fastening the shares on the plow 

 and adjusting them, the modes of moulding and casting shares 

 and other shoes, either wholly in cast iron moulds or partly of 

 cast iron and the residue of sand. 



" Sixth — The manner of stocking or using the plow, heretofore 

 the object of all constructors, has been, so far as I am acquainted, 

 to make the beam immovably fast to the handle and to the stand- 

 ard, whatever may have been the particular mode of fastening 

 adopted. In stocking my plow the handle is made fast to the 

 land side at h, Fig. 5; I then lit the beam on the top of the 

 standard and on the inside or outside of the handle, so as to lay 

 solid on one and fast against the other, / and t, Figs. 4 and 5. 

 The beam is there fastened on the standard with a strong screw 



