No. 216.] 201 



similar to the planks of a floor; (all plows will laj' a furrow in this 

 position if the furrow is in this proportion that is 18 inches wide by 

 3 inches deep— with ray plow I perform the work with 3 yoke of 

 oxen, and they were sufficient.) 



The main body of the plow is similar to my common plow, ex- 

 cepting considerably larger — the principal improvement is in the 

 share and coulter; my mould board is made with a slot in the 

 face of it to admit of space enough for a nut to turn, the bolts that 

 fastens the share to the mould board, are countersunk in the share 

 on the underside, and come up through the casting of the mould 

 board with nuts in their slots in the face of the mould board; 

 a cast cap is put over to cover up the nuts, and make the mould 

 board even on the face. The share i..; made of a plate of cast steel 

 6 inches wide, and about -^-^ thick — this plate of steel is turned up 

 at an angle to suit the angle of the plow, not far from a mitre so 

 that it comes to a sharp point both horizontally and perpendicularly, 

 these two edges are both made thin and sharp, and kept as sharp as 

 a file can make them, the castings of the plow is so made as to ac- 

 commodate the share which is attached to the underside of the mould 

 board — this share is made 6 inches wide with two tiers of holes in 

 it, so that when it is worn off an inch and a half, it may be moved 

 forward and worn again another inch and a half, the coulter forms 

 the edge, and is put on the outside of the perpendicular part of the 

 share, where a bolt goes through the casting and share, and connects 

 the share to the plow; this coulter is laid with steel and made 

 sharp, and is put on the side of the beam with a cast cap of iron 

 bolted to the beam — this peculiar shaped share although quite sim- 

 ple, is very effective, cheap and strong; I have seen it cut off roots 

 and small stumps 3 inches and a half in diameter. This p'.ow is of 

 immense value at the west, it saves one third or more in the draught, 

 and costs nothing to keep it sharp, while with the other plow the plovr- 

 man is obliged to take the share and go sometimes ten or more miles 

 to a smith to get it sharpened, once or twice a week; the loss of time, 

 the expense and the extra team that the old fashioned plow required, 

 and which is dispensed with in mine, shows plainly its superiority. 



I will here state what a well inforiiaed farmer of Illinois told me — 

 said he, a man can well afford to give one dollar a day for the use 

 of your plow, rather th^^n to use the old fashioned one for nothing. 



As I could not have my health at the west, being ill more than 

 half the time I was there, 1 have realized but little benefit from my 

 improvement, and on the other hand have spent three years in en- 



