VAN LOAN’S IMPROVED PLOW. 
Van Loan’s Improved Plow. 
The improvement consists in attaching to the bottom 
of the land-side of the plow a horizontal cutter, where¬ 
by the land is cut horizontally below the surface, so 
that it may be turned over by the mould-board during 
the succeeding cut, with much greater ease. Fig. 1 is 
a side view of the plow, with the cutter attached to 
the outside by bolts and nuts. Fig. 2 is an end view 
of the cutter, showing the flange at a right angle, and 
the bolts and nuts by which it is secured. A is a view 
of the cutter on the face of the plow. The cutter may 
be attached to the inside of the land-side by lapping 
the flange under and inside of it, and securing it in 
the same manner; when it is desired to pulverize the 
ground, the cutter should be raised about two and one- 
half inches, passing the bolts through holes as repre¬ 
sented on the face of the land-side, and securing it in 
that position. The cutter is easily removed for sharp¬ 
ening, or when wanted for use on stony ground. 
This plow is believed to greatly reduce the labor of 
the team and plowman, as numerous trials justify the 
assertion that there is a saving for the team of 25 to 
33£ per cent. As the plow presents a much larger sur¬ 
face on the ground than the ordinary plow, it is evi¬ 
dent it must run with greater steadiness, and be easily 
controlled, and the share is relieved of one-third the 
usual labor. 
The cutter may be about four inches wide at the 
rear, and terminating at a point in front, and about 12 
inches long on its face. A small plow thus construct¬ 
ed, with a share 9 inches across, will turn a furrow of 
13 inches as easily as a much larger one can without 
the cutter. It is evident there will be a saving of 
travel over the ground of about one-third by means of 
the enlarged width of the furrow. This plow was 
patented February 16, 1858, by the inventor, Wm. W. 
Van Loan of Catskill, N. Y. 
Draining Lengthens the Season. 
Noah and his family are not the only people who 
have waited—with more or less of faith and patience 
—for “ the subsiding of the waters.” Every farmer 
having retentive soils which he would sow or plant in 
good season, has frequently been reminded that evap¬ 
oration is a tedious process, and that some quicker way 
of getting rid of the water saturating the soil would 
be very agreeable. That it would be profitable—that 
in nearly every instance the expense of draining would 
be repaid by longer seasons, and, of course, better 
crops, it surely needs little argument to show. 
Let us introduce some testimony on this point. At 
a recent agricultural meeting at Boston, Mr. Richard¬ 
son of Franklin Co, spoke of a springy lot which he 
had recently underdrained:—“ The immediate benefit 
of this was that the soil became in condition for culti¬ 
vation in good season, and did not bake or become hard.” 
Mr. Nourse of Me., was present, and remarked on the 
effect of drainage upon his farm:—“It had put his 
springy, cold lands in good working condition earlier in 
the season than any other in the neighborhood. One 
Lot drained in 1852, was in good plowing condition as 
soon as the frost was out. Before drainage, cattle 
could not cross it in early June without miring. It 
enabled the later as well as the earlier cultivation of 
the land. He had plowed as late as Nov. 20.” Mr. 
French, in his essay on Drainage, refers also to Mr. 
Nourse’s experience, making mention of apiece of corn 
he planted in this land on a drizzling rain, after a 
storm of two days. The corn came up and grew well; 
although on a clayey loam formerly as wet as the ad¬ 
joining grass field, over which oxen and carts could not 
pass on the day of this planting, without cutting 
through the turf and miring deeply. 
Many other statements might be given, showing that 
draining “lengthens the season” of working retentive 
clay soils from two to three weeks in spring time—that 
busiest season of all the year to the farmer. And of 
equal importance is the fact that it lengthens the pe¬ 
riod of vegetation. A week, even, of advanced matu¬ 
rity to the corn crop, often settles the question of its 
profit to the farmer, making from one-third to one-half 
difference in its value. A few days more on the growth 
of barley, oats or potatoes, will enable them to with¬ 
stand a far greater degree of drought, and to mature 
a much better product. We but suggest the subject, 
not attempting to treat it at the length it deserves, 
leaving our correspondents experienced in draining, to 
illustrate and enforce the same. 
The Indiana Farmer has been removed to Indian¬ 
apolis, where it is now published by J. N. Ray, Esq. 
It is well printed and well filled with good matter. 
