THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



The hook plays freely in an eye on the end 

 of a rod, made of round iron, five-eighths of an 

 inch in diameter, which runs through both 

 hinges; having a washer, nut and spring key, 

 behind the back hinge. The eyes in the hinges 

 should be the thickness of the iron above the 

 timber, consequently the rod running through 

 the eyes will be that, much above the timber. 



The hinges should be four and one-half feet 

 apart from centre to centre. 



The centre pieces are one inch apart. 



The side pieces should be twelve or thirteen 

 inches apart in the clear, measuring square 

 across. 



The four teeth in the centre pieces require to 

 be made straight on one side, instead of having 

 the point in the centre, as their places are near 

 the sides of the timber. 



The teeth should be seven-eighths of an inch 

 square. 



This drawing of my harrow, shows all the 

 improvements in its construction that have been 

 made since you published the engraving in 1836. 



I have attempted to show every thing in this 

 drawing, and to give so minute a description 

 that any common mechanic shall be able to 

 construct a harrow without making mistakes. 



A harrow having thirty teeth passing within 

 two inches of each other, from centre to centre, 

 is just what is wanted on ground under good 

 cultivation. On land just cleared, the teeth 

 should be further apart, perhaps four inches. 



The advantages that my harrow possesses 

 over the hinged square harrow, are very great. 

 It draws easier. One reason for this is, that the 

 line of draft passes through the middle of the 

 harrow, having just as much weight, and just 

 as many teeth, (and they equi-distant therefrom,) 

 on each side ; consequently, the harrow on an 

 even surface, moves straight forward, without 

 producing any vibrating of the whiffletrees, as 

 the square harrow does. 



Another advantage is, it is easily cleared of 

 foul stuff. The driver, without stopping his 

 team, lifts up one side, and the stone or stick 

 falls out. 



The teeth track better, and instead of leaving 

 a few large marks on mellow ground, it leaves 

 thirty small marks. 



It is sironger, and when broken is easier re- 

 paired than any other harrow. 



It is cheaper than a well made thirty tooth 

 square harrow, and the expensive part, (hinges, 

 rod and bolts,) will last a very long time. The 

 cost of one of my harrows, made of the very 

 best of timber, the teeth all steel pointed, and 

 the whole painted twice, is twelve dollars .* 



* As it may be inferred by some unacquainted with 

 Mr. Geddes, that he makes the harrows here described, 

 or is interested in their construction, we deem it pro- 

 per to state that such is not the case, — that in giving 

 this harrow to the public, the only solicitude he feels, 



bl 



I request any person that may attempt to 

 construct a harrow from my plate and descrip- 

 tion, to follow i he directions exactly. If it should 

 be supposed that improvements can be made, I 

 beg that first an experiment be made after my 

 directions — then improve, and if the improve- 

 ment is not found to be backwards, give it to 

 the public. 



I have been using this harrow for eleven years. 

 Since you published the engraving in 1836, 

 which showed the principles involved, I have 

 made great improvements in the manner of put- 

 ting it together; but all the attempts to alter it 

 fundamentally, have, so far as I have learned, 

 been failures, and sometimes the experimenter 

 has laid his to somebody besides himself. 



My only wish now, in relation to this harrow, 

 is, that it may be made correctly ; that this may 

 be done, I have prepared the drawing. I have 

 no fears but that it will prove to be better than 

 any other in use, if fairly tested. 



Geo. Geddes. 



Tyler, N. F., JYov. 30, 1843. 



REAPING MACHINES. 

 W e have received a letter from Mr. McCor- 

 rnick in which he rather complains of our not 

 having done him justice last year in noticing 

 the contest that took place in this vicinity be- 

 tween himself and Mr. Hussey. We are not 

 only desirous to deal out evenhanded justice to 

 each of these gentlemen, but we are anxious to 

 discharge our duty to our subscribers, to whom 

 we are under greater obligations than to either 

 of them. We will, therefore, put them in pos- 

 session of all the facts touching the premises 

 that have come to our knowledge, and then ex- 

 press the opinion we have formed of the two 

 machines, letting it go for what it is worth. — 

 During the last harvest, these machines were 

 brought together, first, at Mr. Hutchinson's, about 

 four miles above the city : we were not present, 

 but understand, that an informal committee was 

 raised amongst the by-standers, who expressed 

 a preference for Mr. McCormick's machine, but 

 awarded Hussey great credit for his operation. 

 Mr. Hussey informed us, both before and after 

 this trial, that peculiar circumstances forced him 

 to use a small and indifferent machine, which 

 was by no means a fair representative of his in- 

 vention. Mr. Roane, who was one of the corn- 

 is that of the inventor; but that should any person 

 desire a harrow of this construction, by addressing- a 

 note to Oren Barton, Tyler P. O., New York, postage 

 paid, enclosing twelve dollars, a harrow, made in the 

 best manner, will be put on the canal, directed and 

 forwarded to any place required. — Eds. Cultivator. 



