No. 216] 265 



DUTCHER'S IMPROVEMENTS ON THE 

 PLOW. 



To T. B. WakemaxV, Esq., 



Corresponding Secretary, 



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

 been so indentified with that of my own^ that in speaking of the 

 plow, I shall often have to say something about myself. I have al- 

 ways considered the plow the most useful and necessary implement 

 that man has anything to do with — for this reason, I have bestowed 

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



As early as the year 1806, when I was but a lad, I began to ob' 

 serve the difference in the ccnstructioi^s 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 w^as 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 was the most 

 esteemed — the other went out of use about the year 1809 or 1810. 

 The cast plow, with wrought share, was known in and about Alba- 

 ny, and adjoining counties. Ir was said to be Mr. Peacock's patent. 

 But I considered all that I saw awkward and complicated, not sim- 

 ple enough for general use, but such as they were I made and sold, 

 like the other plow-makers. In the year 1818, I heard that there 

 was a new plow got up by Jethro Wood, and as the plow was rath- 

 er my hoby, I took the trouble of going some twenty miles or more 

 to see it. But when I come to see and examine it, I found it to be 

 complicated, weak and short-lived, yet it was different from those 

 hitherto used — composed of three parts, a mouldboard, landside and 

 share. The mouldboard was too short, and too full on the external 

 surface, and otherwise not properly shaped. Its entering wedge or 

 first part of the plough was two low, and did not turn the furrow 

 upon the edge, in proportion to its entering the ground, in anything 

 like quick speed, the furrows were broken and deranged. The land- 

 side was too narrow, long, and too weak, and did not protect the 



