88 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[March. 
A Great Boon— A Good Cheap 
Sewing Machine, at Last. 
The American Agriculturist was the first journal in the 
world to bring effectively before the public that great 
labor and clothes saver— the wringing machine. So, also, 
this journal prepared and published the first popu- 
lar illustrated article showing, in a clear manner, "How 
Sewing is Done by Machinery." The illustrations used 
in that article have been taken up, copied, and printed 
many millions of times by the 
various manufacturers. And now 
we have the pleasure of bringing 
before the public a practically 
useful, loiv-pi'lced sewing ma- 
chine. While so often recom- 
mending the utility of Sewing 
Machines, we have been all the 
while earnestly looking for the 
appearance of something that 
would come within the reach of 
the large class that could not pos* 
sibly buy a $50 or $60 implement. 
But though we have bought and 
tried a multitude of machines of 
all sorts, sizes, and prices, until a 
spacious lumber-room would be 
required to store all the samples, 
we have, until now, felt obliged 
to continually caution our readers 
against buying any of the low- 
priced machines. And we still 
say that for general use the sew- 
ing machines, sold for from §45 
to $75 each are to be preferred 
when obtainable. But not one 
half of the families in our country 
have any useful sewing machine, 
simply because not half the peo- 
ple feel that they can possibly 
spare §50, or more, in this direc- 
tion, and so the everlasting 
• k stitch, stitch, stitch," by slow 
hand-process, goes on, exhausting 
the strength and health of the 
toilworn and careworn mothers 
of the land— just that class who 
can not hire help and most need 
the aid of the sewing machine. 
The new machine, now intro- 
duced, we have been watching for 
months, and trying to like it on 
account of its cheapness, and be- 
cause it was well made (which we 
could not say of other low-priced 
machines we have seen); but this was unsatisfactory 
simply on account of the motion, or method of applying 
the power— by a vertical motion of the hand for every 
stitch. Happily this difficulty is at last obviated. A 
crank and multiplying wheel have been devised, and now 
we are prepared to indorse the $10 Beckwith Sewing 
Machine as one worthy of being at once secured by all 
who can not purchase the expensive machines ; and as 
will be seen below, many of those who have the larger 
machines will want this one in addition. Here are some 
of the advantages of the Beckwith Machine : 
1st. It is well and strongly made, and thoroughly elec- 
tro-plated with nickel throughout, by the new process, 
which is decidedly superior to the usual thin silver-plat- 
ing, as it is far more durable, and does not tarnish. 
It is simple in its parts, and its use quickly learned, and 
it runs so easily that a child can work it. 
3d. It is easily attached to any table or stand having a 
leaf or edge projecting an inch or so, and can thus be 
used in any part of the house, near a window, etc. It is 
so light and portable that a lady can carry it with her in a 
reticule when visiting, or on a journey, ready for use at 
any moment. It is so convenient in this respect that it 
will be & useful addition where other machines are used, 
cither for carrying to different rooms, or when two wish 
to sew at the same time. It is applicable for almost all 
kinds of family sewing. 
3d. It makes the elastic loop-eiitch (the same as the 
Wilcox & Gibbs and some other good machines), wliicb, 
with a little care in making the closing stitch, is abun- 
dantly strong for nearly all kinds of sewing, and less 
liable to break in washing and wearing, owing to its 
elasticity. It has the advantage that the stitch can be 
removed when desired. Those who hare lock-stitch ma- 
chines, will find this stitch more convenient for many 
kinds of sewing, for embroidering, etc. Many contend 
that the elastic loop-stitch is more durable. 
4th. While we do not gainsay the merits of the "foot- 
pedaV many persons who are unable to use that, will 
find no trouble with this cr;iuk-motion. This gives 
complete control of the uaedle at any and every movement, 
so that the operator can stop on every stitch if desired. 
The crank in this new machine is placed below the 
table, which is an advantage over all other previous at- 
tempts at low-priced machines. The work is fed from the 
table towards the operator, which is claimed as a merit. 
But the great commendation of this new 
machine is, that while it is practically useful, it is sold at 
the low price of $10, and this brings it within the reach 
of a hundred thousand families that want a sewing ma- 
Cultivation of Corn in the South. 
A correspondent, "J. C," Savannah, Ga., asks some 
very pertinent questions about growing corn, which, as 
they are of general interest, we reply to in full. He asks : 
1st, Is it best to plant in beds or on a level surface ? 
2d, Is nine square feet sufficient room for one stalk 
(hill ?) of corn ? 3d, Is white or yellow corn the most 
productive, and which is the best variety of either kind ? 
4th, Would Early Canada, King Philip, or Button he 
likelv to succeed in the South, and have the branching 
varieties any advantage? 5th, 
Would it be safe to cut the crop 
entirely at that stage when fodder 
is usually pulled; if not, how 
early could it be safely cut ? 
Answers. — 1. Level cultivation 
is now considered preferable to 
the ridge or bed system. 2. Nine 
square feet is not sufficient for 
a Mil of corn, except of the small 
varieties. Fur a single stalk, six 
square feet (4 ft. X 1H) would be 
room enough. 3. The white 
Southern corn is doubtless the 
best for a Southern latitude; the 
large, yellow gourd-seed corn 
would he adapted to stronger 
soils. This corn in Southern 
Pennsylvania has yielded over 100 
bushels of grain per acre. 4. 
These varieties arc best suited 
to a Northern climate, where the 
season is short. They arc not so 
prolific as the larger and later " 
varieties. The branching field 
corn is a myth, to say the least of 
it. The branching sweet or pop- 
corn is not always to be depended 
or. — sometimes it don't branch. 
5. The grain is not fit to harvest 
when fodder is generally pulled, 
and this practice is often con- 
demned as injurious to the grain: 
for this reason. It may be har- 
vested as soon as glazed, when 
it will cure safely in the shock. 
We shall be bappy to hear from 
J. O. in the manner he intimates. . 
BECKWITIT3 NEW 
WING-MACEINE. 
DEscniprioiT.—c, clamp holding machine upon edge of table: TT, shield over wheels, with an opening to show 
the wheels; e, the crank-bar or pinion-arm, by which b, the upper arm, is moved; a, the lower arm ; /, cloth 
plate ; n, needle ; t, thumb-screw to hold the needle ; <7, presser foot-spring ; r, tension screw and disks ; .?, spool 
of thread; m moves the stitch-maker, which can not be readily shown. It is very simple, in form, and sure. 
chine and can not raise funds to buy higher-priced ones. 
We have contracted with the Beckwith Sewing Machine 
Company for the first 1,000 of them to supply 
our own friends, and as Premiums. Each machine is put 
in a neat, compact box, with hemmer and guide, oil-am, 
bottle of oil, thread, different -sized needles^ etc., with full 
Printed Directions for using, and delivered to any express 
office in this city, without extra charge above the $10. 
As we buy the machines at wholesale price, we have de- 
cided to give our readers some advantage of this, and we 
therefore propose to make a present for himself or 
herself, or for any friend, of one copy of Hearth and 
Home or two copies of the American AGRicrLTuniST 
for Hue, balance of this year (1ST*2), to the first 800 per- 
sons who send us $10 for one of the new machines. 
TIi* New Sewing Machine as a Premium 
without ITJoney. 
To enable those to get this machine, who can not raise 
even the $10 to buy it, we make the following offer : 
We will send the Machine free to any 
one who will collect and forward SIX sub- 
scribers for HEARTH AND HOME one 
year at $3 each; or TWELVE subscri- 
ber* to AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST 
for one year, at $1.50 each. 
55^" Almost any lady can readily secure this small 
number of subscribers and get a machine free ; or 
some friend can thus cbtaiu it for her, as a present. 
The Agricuhnrist-s 
5ce - Boats. — We have 
received several communications 
from ice-boat men on the Hndson 
in reference to the ice-boats fig- 
ured in February. The difference between their boats and 
ours is, that ours is built to carry passengers, and theirs for 
racing purposes or speed only. The steering apparatus, 
being placed in front, enables the steersman to give his 
attention to that alone ; the captain is behind, and gives 
orders to the steersman when necessary. "When we go 
ice-boating, wc enjoy the compauy as much as or more than 
the swift motion ; it is with us, in fact, an old-fashioned 
sleigh-ride, without the horses. We think, with one of 
our correspondents, that our form is an improvement, as 
giving opportunity for enjoying this sport socially. 
The Map Prizes. 
When the Boys and Girls' part of the paper went to 
press, I was unable, as stated on page 107, to make the 
decisions. It has taken me no little time to examine all 
the maps, and when it came to decide upon the best three 
out of a dozen or more very good ones, the matter became 
very difficult. I find that the prizes all fall to boys. There 
were some forty maps sent by girls, but none of them 
seem to have taken the pains with them that the boys did 
with theirs. The first prize— five dollars— goes to Ed- 
ward Hwkei/, Athens, Bradford Co., Pa. 
The second prize — Hearth and Home for 1ST2— to Jas- 
min Bergeron, St. Louis, Mo. 
The third prize— the Agriculturist for 1S7-2— to Ed- 
mund B. Bedd, Buena Vista, Ilenrico Co., Va. 
It does not look well to sec the prizes all go to boys, and 7 
I have requested the publishers to give gratuities for the 
best two maps drawn by girls. Consequently the Agri- 
culturist for 1S72 will go to Alice Stewart, Beaver Dam, 
Wis., and Ella iK Phillips, Bullvillc, O. 
Miss Frances S., Princeton, Ky., and Andrew M. G.* 
Petcrboro, N. H., worked under peculiar disadvantages. 
Mary R., Scott Township, Iowa, deserves great credit for 
her perseverance, and Hugh Y. W., Macon, Ga., should 
be encouraged. These and some others will hear from 
me by mail. The Doctor. 
