206 



THE SOUTHE 



1 foot G inches wide at the round. The side 

 pieces are 2 feet 6 inches long, and join the 

 middle piece opposite the clevis hole, and are 

 united to the centre piece by a slat 2^ inches 

 broad at one end, and 3 inches the other, 1 inch 

 thick and 18 inches long, the mortise for it to 

 commence 1\ inches from ends of side pieces. 

 The teeth are placed in these at the distance of 

 b\ inches from the ends as in the number 2. — 

 The teeth are made of best bar iron \\ by -J 

 inches — the necks are 5 inches long, and are at 

 the shoulder inches by | square, and are ta- 

 pered and rounded at the top for a strong screw ; 

 in the side pieces they must be placed obliquely, 

 that their tracks may be parallel with the mid- 

 dle. They must have strong plates for the bot- 

 tom, say \ inch thick, 2^ broad, 4^ long, and 

 well nailed on ; the top plates much lighter, and 

 the holes for the teeth in the bottom plates must 

 fit the necks well, and of course must be cut 

 into the sides obliquely to give the proper direc- 

 tion as before intimated — the shoulders of the 

 teeth must fit well; with a cold punch, indent 

 the numbers respectively behind the shoulder of 

 each tooth, and on each plate and nut, to distin- 

 guish their places. 



For the Southern Planter. 



Boydton, July 4, 1844. 

 At a joint meeting of the two Agricultural 

 Clubs of Mecklenburg county, held this day, 

 pursuant to previous arrangement, on motion of 

 Mr. Towns, A. C. Morton, Esq. was called 

 to the Chair, and H. E. Lockett appointed Se- 

 cretary. 



After the meeting was duly organized, the 

 Clubs proceeded to the Court House, where a 

 considerable audience, composed principally of 

 the farmers of ihe county, was in attendance. 

 The Declaration of Independence was read by 

 H. E. Lockett, and an address, distinguished 

 alike for its force of argument, its beauty of 

 composition, and its practical information on 

 agriculture, was delivered by Mr. Charles T. 

 Botts, the Editor of the Southern Planter, who 

 was present in accordance with an invitation 

 from the two Clubs. 



Whereupon, it was unanimously 



Resolved, That the thanks of this meeting be 

 tendered to Mr. Botts for the very able, instruc- 

 tive, and interesting address which he has de- 

 livered. 



Resolved, also, That this meeting recommend 

 the Southern Planter, edited by C. T. Botts, Esq. 

 to the agriculturists of Mecklenburg, as a work 

 well worthy, for its cheapness, its intrinsic merit, 

 and the locality where it is published, of the 

 patronage of the Clubs, as well as the public 

 generally. 



Resolved, further, That Charles T. Botts, Esq. 



be elected an Honorary Member of the two 

 Clubs of Mecklenburg. 



Whereupon, Dr. Jones and Dr. Venable were 

 appointed a committee to wait upon Mr. Botts 

 and inform him of his election, and that he is 

 invited to attend the annual meetings of the 

 Clubs. 



On motion, 



Resolved, That Dr. Jones, H. E. Lockett, Dr. 

 Venable, and Richard Boyd, Esq., be appointed 

 a committee to examine the books of the two 

 Clubs, and report to A. C. Morton, Esq., the 

 President of this meeting, such matter as to 

 them may seem of general interest, and that he 

 be authorized to condense, and report such to 

 the Southern Planter for publication. 



On motion, 



Resolved, That H. H. Burwell, Esq. be re- 

 quested to read the Declaration of American 

 Independence, and the Hon. Wm. O. Goode to 

 deliver an address on agriculture at the next 

 annual meeting of the Clubs of Mecklenburg. 



On motion, 



Resolved, That the Agricultural Clubs of 

 Mecklenburg will hold their next annual meet- 

 ing in Boydton, on the 4th day of July, 1845, 

 and that the Corresponding Secretaries of the 

 Clubs be required to give sufficient notice, that 

 the ladies, especially, and the public generally 

 be invited to attend. 



On motion, 



Resolved, That the proceedings of this meet- 

 ing be sent to the Editor of the Southern Planter, 

 with the request that he publish them. 



On motion, 



Resolved, That this meeting do now adjourn. 



A. C. Morton, President. 

 Henry E. Lockett, Secretary. 



REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF 

 PATENTS. 



We will make some extracts from this report 

 and accompany them with such comments as 

 we may deem pertinent. 



DITCHING. 



Mr. Ellsworth says : 



" Bj T a valuable machine, with ten yoke of 

 oxen and five hands, a ditch of suitable depth 

 for draining lands, (fourteen inches deep, and 

 twenty-eight inches wide at ihe top,) ten miles 

 ma}?- be excavated in one day, at an expense, 

 by contract, of not more than three cents per 

 rod. A larger machine, with a greater number 

 of oxen, will excavate a ditch three feet. deep. 

 The great importance of such an instrument on 

 the prairies of the West will at once be seen 

 and acknowledged." 



There are two or three varieties of this ma- 



