/ 
THE CULTIVATOR. April, 
108 
from 225 pounds up to 500 pounds,—a difference of la¬ 
bor seriously affecting Economy. 
Agricultural Mechanism, is by no means confined to 
New-York; therefore, before we proceed to examine the 
list alluded to, we may with signal advantage, examine 
the handiwork of our neighbors. As their mode of 
computing resistance differs from the method used in 
this State, the plows could not be conveniently arranged 
in the table; they use the Dynamometer in the same way 
as used at our State fairs, but the ratio of resistance is 
thus stated: if the force of the team applied is equal 
to the raising of 336 pounds over a single pulley, and 
the depth of the furrow is 6| inches with a width of 13 
inches, then multiply 13 by 6| and you have 84 and a 
fraction; then if 336 pounds of force will take up and 
turn over 84 inches of earth, 112 pounds will turn 28 
inches. It was in this way, the eastern plows were 
tried by the Massachusetts Agricultural Society, for 
their premiums of one hundred dollars, and seventy-five 
dollars, for the best plows—one plow for lapping the 
furrows, the other for laying them flat. 
Tried in this way, the power in each case being 112 
pounds; the plows respectively turned over the quanti¬ 
ty of earth as stated in figures, and thus exhibited their 
relative resistance—i. e. 
Plows for lapping furrows:— 
Charles Howard’s. 29f inches 
Ruggles, Nourse & Mason’s,. 24 “ 
John Wilson’s,. 21f “ 
Plows for flat furrows :— 
Prouty and Mears’,. 27f inches. 
This plow took the premium of $100. 
Charles Howard’s,.. 25 “ 
Ruggles, Nourse & Mason’s,. 24 “ 
Other plows were tried, but all offered greater resist¬ 
ance than the foregoing. The above claim the careful 
attention of the prudent farmer. 
Let us now examine the list of plows tested in this 
state. 
It will be noticed that the Shell Wheel plow, and the 
Geneva plow, by the same maker, (Burrall of Geneva) 
arc placed side by side, purposely, to draw attention to 
the effect of a well formed and well applied wheel; for 
these plows are in all respects the same, save only, the 
use of the shell wheel in the place of the land side; 
this wheel produces the difference stated in the table, 
in the draft of the two plows of more than eighty-four 
pounds in favor of the wheel; a difference which, if 
given by the wheel to other plows named in the list, 
would ptesent for our selection, a rate and most choice 
assortment. Thus, if the excellent “Center Draft” 
of Prouty and Mears, which I believe offers a present 
resistance of 292 pounds could be reduced by the wheel 
to 208 or 210 pounds, it would exceed every other 
known plow. The same as to Delano’s Diamond, and 
and so also, as to Ruggles, Nourse and Mason’s admi¬ 
rable Eagle, if it Could be reduced by the wheel, to 
331, we need look no further for all that is Heedful in 
the form of plows. That word if arrests our progress 
for the present ; nevertheless, with the list before us, 
no farmer can be excused for imperfect plowing, let his 
soil be what it may. Any reasonable depth or breadth 
of furrow may be had,—the furrow slice may be laid 
perfectly flat and true, or it may be lapped with preci¬ 
sion—our horses need no longer show galls and scars, 
nor upbraid us with cruelty; on the contrary, when 
they have toiled through the heat of the summer, and 
return home from the last furrow of the season, they 
will exhibit their fat and shining sides, gamboling in the 
last rays of the setting sun, as if to express happiness 
in^ a duty well performed, and gratitude to a liberal, 
careful master. 
It is no small matter that plow makers present their 
work to us in a highly finished condition, and in this re¬ 
spect, we have reason to applaud Prouty, Mears & Co., 
and Ruggles, Nourse & Mason—the polish of their 
mould boards and other metalic parts prevent a large 
amount of resistance, as I well know by the use of “a 
Center Draft;” in this matter, our eastern friends have 
shown heretofore more order and economy with neat¬ 
ness, than was to be found among us of New-York. 
Now however, I for one, am using plows equal in all 
these details, to those of Massachusetts. 
A farmer always does love his horses, if his own 
" heart is hung in the right place; 
and a man thus constituted will be 
loved by his horses; had they the 
power of speech, they would entreat 
us to seek for, and use, such plows 
as offer the least resistance to their 
willing shoulders, consistent with 
an expeditious and good perform¬ 
ance of their work;—let us then 
give more attention, more conside¬ 
ration, to the due selection of these 
most important implements. 
In making our selection, howev¬ 
er, we must remember that the tool 
must be adapted first to the nature 
of our soil—so as most easily to 
raise it and move it—and next, that 
it be so constructed as perfectly to 
turn it over. In a stiff clay we 
find the long Scotch plow present¬ 
ing a severe resistance, while our 
shorter breasted plows move throu’h 
it with comparative ease: the rea¬ 
son is, that more surface is present¬ 
ed to resistance in the long plow. 
In light soils, this is not so import¬ 
ant a consideration. 
My own experience has led me 
to the use of Burrall’s Shell wheel and the Geneva 
plow, Prouty & Mear’s' Center Draft, the Eagle and 
Chase’s Amsterdam. I have others in use, but prefer 
the foregoing. 
For many ages, the Harrow has been our familiar 
friend, without change in form or feature from the ear¬ 
liest time, until within the last twenty years,—and its 
uses have ever been to follow the plow, breaking the 
Makers. 
Where made 
Name of Plow. 1 
1 
Resist¬ 
ance. 
Depth of 
f urrow. 
Width of 
furrow. 
$. W. Chase,. 
Amsterdam, 
Montgomery County 
225 
5 inch- 
11 inch’s 
T. D. Burrall,. 
Geneva,.... 
i Shell Wheel,. 
24 If 
5.8 
12.8 
1 Geneva,.. 
Revenue Cutter^.... 
32o 
250 
6 
13 
1 o 
TJnrfnpi Af fin. T . . . . 
Peekskill, .. 
Peekskill,..’_ 
255 
1 <2 
\ Hawley,. . 
Brooklyn, .. 
Bergen,. 
275 
o 
12 
R. Delano,. 
Onondaga, . 
Diamond,. 
287f 
6 
13 
VT H. Codding’ 
Ontario,.... 
American,.. 
330 
5f 
14 
Jt. Waite,. 
Alliion,.... 
Veto,. 
335 
6 
12 
S W. Hall,.. .... 
Williamsport,. 
337 
6 
12 
P. Elyea,. 
Livingston, 
Caledonia, . 
345 
6 
12 
T. Meroer,. 
Peekskill, .. 
Peekskill, . 
348 
6 
12 
Winers ... 
Peekskill, No. 22, • .. 
350 
Peter Provens . 
Columbia, . 
350 
5 
13 
Oxford, . 
Chenango, . 
Oxford, . 
371 
6 
12 
Brftincrd & . 
Diamond . 
375 
Wilson,. 
Oneida, .... 
Oneida, .. 
381 
■T. S. Tefts, . 
F.rifi, . 
Washington, . 
331 
6 
12 
Winks Sr "Raile.y, . 
Wyominsr, . 
383 
6 
12 
E. Davis . 
Worcester County, 
386 
6 
12 
P. D. Wright, . 
Rochester, . 
Cayuga County, .... 
388 
6 
12 
K. Richardson, . 
Iron Beam, . 
388 
6 
12 
G. Seymour . 
Lockport, .. 
Opposition, . 
397 
6 
12 
(I. Wiard ... 
Avon 
Livingston County,. 
400 
6 
12 
E. Wilson, . 
Vernon, .... 
Diamond . 
400 
Ruggles, Nourse & Mason, 
Mass.. .... 
Eairle . 
415 
6 
12 
R. C. Stiles & Co . 
Ontario, .... 
Ontario, . 
431 
6 
12 
Moore . 
Self Sharpener, .... 
4374 
6 
14 
.1 Van Bronkltn, . 
Niagara, .. . 
Middleport, . 
438 
6 
12 
Gaylord, . 
Auburn . 
475 
Asa Beebee, . 
Black Hawk, . 
475 
Railey. Whitler A Co.,. . .. 
Utica, . 
475 
J. C. Fitch . 
Livingston County, . 
483 
6 
12 
Wm. Frater. ,. 
lOtsego. .... 
Scotch Plow, ... 
500 
