1863.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
Q38 
A New Potato Digger. 
Whoever has dug potatoes with a hoe, fork, 
or hook, has doubtless wished that something 
might be invented which would dispense with 
this tedious and fatiguing labor. We have re¬ 
cently inspected a new machine which prom¬ 
ises to effect as great a revolution in the potato 
field, as the mower and horse rake have accom¬ 
plished in the hay field. The machine is the in¬ 
vention of S. B. Conover Esq., a well-known 
commission merchant in West Washington 
Market. Its construction and action will be 
readily understood bj r the help of the accom¬ 
panying engravings. Fig. 1, gives a view of the 
machine at work, and fig. 2 represents a length¬ 
wise section of it, the letters referring to the 
same parts in both figures. 
A strong sifter or riddle, G, runs the whole 
length of the machine; this is made of iron rods 
and is in the shape of a half cylinder; it is placed 
in an inclined position and has a vibrating or 
shaking motion communicated to it by means 
of gearing on the wheel at G. At the lower 
end of the sifter is a strong wrought iron scoop 
or plow, E, with a point of such shape as to 
readily enter the earth and so arranged, that it 
may be plunged into the soil at any required 
depth, or be lifted out of the way of stones, 
stumps, or other obstacles by moving the 
lever, I. Within the sifter there is a large 
screw, X>, looking something like the screw of a 
steam propeller; this is made to revolve by 
means of the gearing at H. These are the es¬ 
sential parts of the machine: they are mounted 
upon a frame, A, which has two large wheels at 
the rear and two small forward wheels which 
move like castors, independently of each other, 
and facilitate the turning of the machine. When 
at work, the wheels go between the rows of po¬ 
tatoes, and the scoop enters the soil directly un¬ 
der the row to be dug. The forward movement 
of the team pushes the potatoes and soil togeth¬ 
er into the sifter, the vibratory motion of which 
causes the earth to shake out, while the blades 
of the screw are constantly pushing whatever 
may he in contact with them towards the rear 
end of the machine. Between the shaking and 
the stirring by the screw, the potatoes are soon 
freed from the dirt and keep travelling upward. 
At E', the grating is sufficiently coarse to allow 
the small potatoes to drop through, and the large 
potatoes pass on and fall out farther on. The 
large and small potatoes are received in sepa¬ 
rate boxes which have hinged bottoms opening 
downward and so connected with the lever, F, 
that either box can be emptied at pleasure. The 
potatoes are delivered in assorted heaps, making 
the after work of picking up comparatively 
easy. Weeds and tops will be pushed out at 
the rear end of 
the sifter by the 
action of the 
screw. The soil 
will be left by the 
machine in excel¬ 
lent condition for 
the succeeding 
crop. We have 
seen a full sized 
machine, and al¬ 
though we have 
not Avitnessed its 
operation in the 
field, we can see 
no reason why it 
should not realize 
the hopes of the 
inventor. It has 
been suggested 
that this machine 
might also be used for 
land of small stones near the surface. Though 
the inventor did not have this object in vieAV Ave 
think that it might be effective on certain soils. 
The machine Ave saAV is well made and so 
simple in all its parts, as not to be liable to get 
out of order. If his invention Avill successful¬ 
ly substitute the Avork of animals for human 
labor in harvesting the potato crop, Mr. Cono¬ 
ver will receive the grateful thanks of many 
members of the agricultural community. 
The War and Agricultural Im¬ 
plement?. 
Dealers in agricultural implements 
report that the demand for labor sav¬ 
ing machines during the present sea¬ 
son has been altogether unprecedent¬ 
ed. The manufactories of moAvers 
and reapers, horse rakes and pitch- 
forks, etc., although Avorked to their 
utmost capacity, have been unable to 
fully meet the orders. This has of 
course resulted in a large degree from 
the scarcity of laborers caused by the 
transferring of so many men to the 
field Avliere other harvests than those 
of agriculture are being reaped. But 
it is also due, in some measure, to the 
influence of the agricultural press, 
Avliich has for years been educating 
the farming community to the prac¬ 
ticability of substituting animal and 
mechanical power for hand labor. 
This fact is one of the compensations 
of the war, and no slight one either. 
Its influence will be felt long after 
peace shall have called the absent la¬ 
borers to their homes. It is, in fact, 
an emancipation of thousands of men 
from the necessity of severe toil; an 
emancipation Avhich furnishes no ele¬ 
ments for political agitation, but which 
is none the less noteworthy. No man Avill Avil- 
lingly return to the old routine of muscle Avork, 
after having once enjoyed the comparative 
ease in haying time, bestoAved by a good mower. 
One effect of this release of so many laborers 
will be to alloAV the cultivation of a much larger 
area of land. The Great West already OAves 
much to the successful introduction of mechan¬ 
ical contrivances into agriculture, and its fertile 
prairies will ere long receive still larger acces¬ 
sions from this cause. The influence of this 
change will also be Avidely felt in the number of 
young men Avilling to follow the profession of 
farming, hoav that so much of exhausting labor 
Fig. 3 . — SECTIONAL VIEAV OF THE DIGGER. 
the purpose of clearing is relieved. The work of the farmer will take 
rank above mere manual labor, which will al- 
Avays hold a lower place than the exercise 
of skill. Although this may appear of little 
account in any particular neighborhood, in the 
aggregate, the results Avill be of great importance. 
Agriculture needs the brain work of many a 
man whose muscles are not strong enough to 
handle the scythe, and not a fe?v such will be 
added to the ranks by the general introduc¬ 
tion of farming by machinery. 
