94 



Report on Trials of Plows. 



lilies come accurately, both vertically as well as longitudinally, 

 but Governor Holbrook devised a system by which, if the longi- 

 tudinal lines are carefully laid down upon the pattern, the vertical 

 lines will be certain to come right. 



In 1841 Mr. Nourse went to Boston and opened a large ware 

 house, the style of the firm being the same in both places. Some- 

 years later other parties were admitted into the firm, under the 

 style of Ruggles, Nourse, Mason & Co. The firm dissolved ii 

 1855, all the old members except Mr. Nourse retiring, and a ne\v 

 firm was formed under the style of Nourse, Mason k Co. This 

 firm, under its various changes, have sold more plows than any 

 other in the United States. Fig QQ represents Eagle No. 2. 



J^iff. 66. 



It is adapted to turn furrows from four to seven inches deep by 

 twelve to fourteen inches wide. It was sometimes rigged with a 

 common coulter for flat furrow plowing, and sometimes with a 

 fin share, which adapts it for stubble plowing. 



We insert, as a contribution to the history of the plow, the 

 following letter, from Mr. J. Dutcher, of Durham, N. Y., 

 addressed to T. B. Wakeman, of New York: 



" The history of the plow in America, for the last forty years, 

 has been so identified with that of my own, that in speaking of 

 the plow I shall often have to say something about myself. I 

 have always considered the plow the most useful and necessary 

 implement that man has anything to do with, for this reason, I 

 liave bestowed upon it a great amount of time, labor and money. 



" As early as the year 1^06, when I was but a lad, I began to 

 observe the difference in the constructions of the plow. At that 

 time there were two kinds in use; one was called the Hog plow, 

 which was said to be of Dutch origin, and another called the Bull 

 plow, a Yankee invention. About this time I was learning the 

 blacksmith trade, and had considerable to do with the plow, in 

 constructing and making that part of it called the share. The 

 Bull plow Avas the most esteemed; the other went out of use 



