282 
SHOW AND FAIR OF THE NEW YORK STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY FOR 1843 . 
the business before us, and for which we would 
tender them our thanks. 
Trial of Plows. 
On the morning of the 22d, we were met by a 
large number of those interested in the manufac¬ 
ture of plows, and proceeded to the trial with the 
dynamometer. Each plow was drawn by a wind¬ 
lass through a stiff sward, the distance of five rods, 
and required to cut a furrow twelve inches wide 
by six deep. 
The following plows were tried, and the aver¬ 
age of their resistance taken as indicated by the 
dynamometer 
Names of Ploughs.- Makers or Patentees.- Pounds draught. 
American, M. H. Codding, Bristol, Ontario co., 330 
Cayuga county, P. D. Wright, Rochester, 388 
Worcester county, E. Davis, Watertown, Jefferson co., 366 
Diamond, II. Delano, Mottsviile, Onondaga co., 365 
Peekskill,. T. Mercer, Peekskill, 348 
Williamsport, S. W. Mali, Williamsport, Penn., 337 
Montgomery county, S. W. Chase, Amsterdam, 255 
Do. [larger size,] do. 375 
Opposition, C. Seymour, Lockport, 307 
Washington, I. S. Teft, Williamsville, Erie co., 381 
Oxford, Oxford, Chenango co., 371 
Ontario county, R. C. Stiles & Co., East Bloomfield, 431 
Veto, I. Waite, Albion, 335 
Wyoming county, Hicks & Bailey, Perry, Wyoming co., 383 
Oneida chief, E. Wilson, Vernon, Oneida co., 381 
Caledonia, P. Elyea, Caledonia. Livingston co., 345 
Middleport, I. Van Bronklen, Middleport, Niag. co., 438 
Eagle, [Mass.] Ruggles, Nourse, & Co., 415 
Geneva, T. D. Burrell, Geneva, 397 
Do. [shell wheel], do. 298 
Do. [Scotch shell wheel] do. 325 
I.ocklin improved, I. C. Fitch, Dansville, Livingston co., 483 
Iron-beam, E. Richardson, Bashnell’s Busin, 388 
Livingston county, H. Wiard, Avon, 400 
We ought here to observe, that some of these 
plows were of a larger size than others, and their 
surface-draft, of course, greater; as the Livingston 
county, Ontario county, and some others. Some of 
them were highly polished, while others were 
nearly as rough as they came from the moulds. 
Some were provided with very sharp coulters, 
while others had merely a cutter upon the shin, 
which made a very manifest difference. Many of 
them came unprovided with a gauge-Avheel ; and 
the difference of draught was so great with or 
without a wheel, that those who had not a wheel, 
borrowed one before they would go through with 
a trial. Your committee think this point settled 
in the minds of every one who saw this trial, that 
a wheel is an indispensable accompaniment to a 
good plow in sward land, or indeed in almost any 
other. There was also a difference in the dy¬ 
namometer, as Mr. Chase’s, which was injured 
after the trial of four or five plows, indicated every 
ten pounds, while the scale-beam, afterward used, 
indicated only every thirty pounds. 
After we had gone through with a very thorough 
and laborious trial with the windlass anil the dyna¬ 
mometer, we proceeded to try them with a strong 
pair of horses. Each competitor was allowed to 
hold his own plow until it run to suit him, and 
then it was held by one of the committee. We 
gave them a thorough trial in this way, and pro¬ 
ceeded to compare their relative merits as to con¬ 
struction and workmanship, and heard explana¬ 
tions of their peculiar merits, from their pro¬ 
prietors. 
Having thus obtained what information we 
could as to their traction, and compared their rela¬ 
tive merits as to construction and durability, your 
committee ca-me to the unanimous conclusion, that 
we could not award premiums as published by 
the society. We are not prepared to say, neither 
do we believe any judicious man would say, that 
either of these plows was so superior to the others, 
as to entitle it to the large premium of fifty dol¬ 
lars. They were all superior plows; and the 
more we examined them, the more we were con¬ 
vinced that such a collection was never seen be¬ 
fore, in this or any other land. 
We therefore proceeded to divide the highest 
premium among the largest-sized plows, giving the 
Caledonia, P. Elyea, of Caledonia $25 
Wyoming, Hicks & Bailey, Perry, Wyoming co. 15 
Williamsport, S„ W. Hall 10 
The remaining premiums are divided among 
plows of the second size, as follow:— 
American, M. D. & M. H. Codding, of Bristol, 
Ontario $15 
Geneva, T. D. Burrell, of Geneva 12 
Montgomery county, S. W. Chase, of Amsterdam 10 
Oneida chief, E. Wilson, Yernon, Oneida co. 8 
Veto, L Waite, Albion, Orleans 5 
We also recommended that diplomas be given 
to the iron-beam and Peekskill, and volumes of 
the Transactions to the Livingston county, the 
Cayuga county, and Diamond plows. 
Your committee also witnessed with great satis¬ 
faction, the trial of a plowing-machine, or gang of 
plows, constructed by Thomas Wiard of Avon, 
and have no .hesitation in recommending it as an 
article of much importance to the farmer. The 
facility and great rapidity with which it prepares 
fallow grounds, plows in wheat, Covers peas and 
other spring grain requiring a dheper covering 
than the harrow gives, renders it a very desirable 
article to the farmer. We had not only ocular 
demonstration of its performances, but were shown 
very high commendations from some of the best 
farmers of Livingston county. We therefore rec¬ 
ommend the awarding of a diploma to Thomas 
Wiard, of Avon, for his gang of plows. 
Of sub-soil plows, only two were presented, both 
of which were thoroughly tested and highly ap¬ 
proved by the committee. We believe the sub¬ 
soil plow worthy of a trial by our farmers, and an. 
instrument which will do great service in heavy 
clay lands, and such as have impervious sub-soils. 
We feel that we could not do justice to either of 
these plows, by giving them the whole premium. 
We therefore have awarded to B. F. Smith, of Sy¬ 
racuse (Ruggles & Co., Mass.), $12, considering 
his plow superior in workmanship, and that it will 
do the best work in lighter clay soils. We award 
to S. McLean, of Royalton, Niagara county, $8, 
for his sub-soil plow, the construction of which is 
very simple, is so cheap as to be within reach of 
every farmer, and will work its way through the 
heaviest soils. 
In closing their report, your committee would 
beg leave to suggest that a suitable premium be 
offered for the best dynamometer. The instru¬ 
ments now in use are very imperfect, and no cer¬ 
tain test of the power required in the draught of a 
