52 
Report on the Agricultural Implements at 
The frame of the machine, of wood, comprises two pairs of side hars and two 
crossbars to which they are strongly attached, these are lettered A. B is the 
pole attached under the front cross-bar of the frame A, which is at this point 
arched by a guide-rod Z', its rear end being pivoted to the axle C, and held 
in line by the braces b' V. The axle C carries the travelling-wheels, which, 
as will be seen further on, act the part of rollers in covering the seed, but have 
nothing to do with the mechanism by which the seed is deposited. E E are 
the runners that open the soil to receive the seed ; they are attached in the 
usual manner to the frame in front, and to the sprouts or standards F behind, 
which are connected with the bottom of the seed-hopper G in the usual 
manner. It will be seen from the drawings that the wheels D D being im- 
mediately behind the spouts cover the seed. I now come to the novel 
arrangements. The seed is dropped by the bar H, which works in the lower 
part of the hopper G ; to it are attached two upright studs, I I, at a little 
distance apart, so as to be acted on by the double cam-wheel J on the shaft K, 
each revolution of the cam-wheel causing the bar to be slid backwards and 
forwards. The cam, properly adjusted, is made to do the work of the boy in 
sliding the bar backwards and forwards. The shaft K revolves in bearings in 
blocks, L, that slide up and down in long keepers, M, attached to the frame A 
The wheels N N, on the end of the shaft K, have on their rims sharp trian 
gular projections, 0, to enter the ground and prevent them slipping. Raising 
or lowering the shaft increases or diminishes the circumference of the wheels 
so as to drop the seed at a greater or less distance apart as may be desired 
In this freedom of the shaft to move up and down is one great feature of the 
invention. By reference to the drawings it will be seen that the shaft S is 
connected with the bars P at their hinder end, whilst they are pivoted in front 
to the frame. The lever T with spring front U, which engages with the 
ratchet V, is attached to the shaft S. It follows that by operating the lever T 
the handle of which is convenient to the driver's seat, the machine may be 
adjusted to plant the hills at varying distances apart. The wheels N are 
placed at a distance from the openers E, exactly one-half of the space from 
E to E, consequently they act as track-markers ; and this, with the additional 
security from a heavy track-marker, shown in the plan at W X, which i 
reversible from side to side, insures accuracy in one direction. I have now 
to explain how the check-row accuracy is attained. Referring again to the 
wheels N N, it will be seen in the elevation that A' A' are pins passing ou 
through the rims of the wheel, with discs B' attached to their outer ends 
Upon the pins are spiral springs, two of these pins, &c, are attached to each 
wheel directly opposite each other, and in such positions that one of the discs 
B', will always be on the ground when the seed is dropped, and thus accuratel 
mark the cross rows. The springs enable the discs to make their mark how 
ever deeply the points 0 may enter the ground. If it should be found tha 
the discs mark either short of, or beyond the holes made in the previous 
course, the driver by operating the lever T, and either raising or lowering the 
wheels, can instantly correct the inequality and place the machine in a correct 
position, then the action must be exact so long as the horses are driven 
straight. Undoubtedly, care and attention are requisite on the part of the 
driver ; but considering that this machine does away with the necessity for 
marking out the ground, and dispenses with the dropper, thereby saving his 
wages and weight on the machine, I think it is an effort in the right direc- 
tion which merits recognition. Referring once more to the elevation, it will 
be seen that by drawing the lever Z towards himself, the driver raises the fore 
part of the frame, together with the wheels N N, thus stopping the seeding ; 
and by a pawl and ratchet the lever can be retained in this position for turning 
at the land's end or for travelling. 
As an example of a one-horse single-row planter, of which 
