I860.] 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. * 



be efficiently operated upon at once, with 

 the least amount of resistance from friction 

 in the working of the implements. In this, 

 simple traction must be superseded by a re- 

 volving action. 



In considering the subject of the applica- 

 tion of steam-power to tillage operations of 

 agriculture, it will readily be perceived that 

 there are two modes by which the steam- 

 engine may be available for the purpose, 

 viz. : — by traction of the implements to and 

 fro, by means of chains or ropes, by station- 

 ary engines, but which are advanced at 

 ris;ht angles to the line of traction, as the 

 breadth of ground worked at once by the 

 implements is operated upon ; and by loco- 

 motive engines, to which the implements 

 used in the operation are directly and im- 

 mediately attached. 



In the first of the above-mentioned modes 

 of applying the steam-engine to cultivation, 

 the pressure of the weight of the engine on 

 the soil is confined only to a portion of the 

 ground to be worked, that is, to the head- 

 lands; but, on the other hand, such engines 

 and their working gear are necessarily of a 

 somewhat complicated construction ; and a 

 considerable amount of force of the moving 

 power is absorbed in the strain required to 

 produce motion in the implement — particu- 

 larly in fields of considerable extent, in 

 which the ropes used are of great length. 



In the other mode, the principal defect 

 consists in the pressure of the weight of the 

 engine travelling on the ground to be 

 worked ; but this objection, if it cannot be 

 entirely obviated, may be greatly mitigated, 

 by distributing the whole weight on as many 

 points of bearing and on as great a surface 

 as possible. On the other hand, nearly the 

 whole force of the engine is available to the 

 working of the implements, from their being 

 directly anaimmediately attached to the 

 moving power. Under all circumstances, 

 this principle of action n the engine is quite 

 as favorable, if not to be preferred to the other, 

 for the purpose of applying steam-power to 

 tillage operations of agriculture ; besides, 

 which, it is not to tillage alone that such an 

 engine may be applied, but also to drawing 

 carriages on fields and on roads. 



In designing an engine with a view to the 

 successful and to the most extensive appli- 

 cation of steam-power to tillage operations, 

 whichever of the two principles already de- 

 Bcribed may be adopted, the following are 



the most important matters for considera- 

 tion : 



1st That its construction should be as 

 simple as possible, consistent with efficiency 

 in its operation. 



2nd. That its working parts should be as 

 little as possible liable to derangement and 

 requiring repair; and when repairs may be 

 necessary, ether from accident or from long 

 use, such repairs may not be of an expen- 

 sive nature. 



3rd. That it should be easily managed by 

 agricultural laborers of ordinary intelligence. 



4th. That it should be of as moderate 

 cost to purchase as may be consistent with 

 efficient working^ of sufficient power with 

 a moderate quantity of fuel for the purpose 

 it may be required ; and that it should be 

 durable. 



The foregoing remarks are general, rather 

 than specially addressed to the subject of 

 the present paper; but as they elicit the 

 views of the writer on the subject of the 

 application of steam-power to cultivation 

 generally, such trespass on the present occa- 

 sion may, it is hoped, be "excused. 



The special and direct object of the pres- 

 ent paper is to submit to the consideration 

 of mechanical engineers and the agricultural 

 public a description of an engine for the ap- 

 plication of steam-power to tillage and other 

 operations of agriculture, which, perhaps, 

 may be found to possess the properties no- 

 ticed as being requisite in an engine for cul- 

 tivation by steam-power. 



From a previous remark it may perhaps 

 be inferred, that the writer is in favor of the 

 locomotive principle of action. After long 

 and attentive consideration of the subject, 

 and many discussions thereon with mechan- 

 ical engineers of experience, the writer 

 would decidedly recommend locomotive ac- 

 tion for the purpose in question. 



The locomotive action being assumed to 

 be that adopted, the breadth of ground ope- 

 rated upon at once by the implements will 

 limit the size and construction of the en- 

 gine. For if the breadth of ground ope- 



: rated upon at once by the implement be less 



j than the breadth of the engine, a portion of 

 the ground will either be left uncultivated, 



| or a portion of that cultivated will be in- 

 jured by the pressure of the wheels on one 



! side of the engine. In the latter-mentioned 

 case also, the engine, from the wheels sink- 

 ing deeper on one side than on the other, 

 will be out of its transverse horizontal posi- 



