S38 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
Nov, 
SMITH’S PATENT LEVEE DRILL OR GRAIN AND SEED PLANTER. 
I take the liberty to send you a description, having 
not as yet been able to procure a cut, of the Patent 
Lever Drill, or Grain and Seed Planter, introduced by 
me, and for the first time presented for general inspec¬ 
tion in the State of New-York, at the State Fair at 
Saratoga. 
The drill has been used in England many years, and 
a fair specimen of the original, a very complicated and 
cumbrous machine, was there also. 
The first improvement on the English drill, in this 
country, was made by, and patented to, Mr. Pennock, 
of Pennsylvania, some six years ago—a very excellent 
machine, light, easy to operate with, but also compli¬ 
cated, and by many considered too much so, for general 
and indiscriminate use. This, however, is well worth 
$100, the price it sells for. 
The inventor of the drilling machine, introduced by 
me, Mr. H. W. Smith, also of Pennsylvania, has spent 
several years to improve the same, by making it per¬ 
fectly simple, at the same time retaining all the im- 
portant principles, and adding such others, as modern 
scientific discoveries in husbandry, rendered necessary 
to perfect the work—this is sold for $75. 
This drill has some new mechanical principles or 
combination of principles not before in use. 
The wheels are of new and simple construction.— 
The axles are of cast iron, extending half the width 
of the machine, with a flange some six inches in diam¬ 
eter on the end, which, with a cast iron plate of the 
same dimensions, screwed on the wheels, retains the 
spokes, and forms the hub. These wheels and axles 
may be adapted to carriages, wagons, &c. 
On the axles are cast also the cylinders, three on 
each, in which indentations or holes are drilled, to 
carry the grain through valves, out of the hopper, a 
box extending the width of the machine, into tubes, 
through which it is deposited in the furrow. 
It has a lever by which all the teeth can be lifted out 
of the ground, for the purpose of turning in the field, 
or passing over a rock, or packing to remove to or from 
the field, by a single operation; and another to close 
the valves and shut off the feed at the same time. 
It has a graduated index, by which it can be set, to 
pass any given quantity of seed per acre, or altered 
from one quantity to another in a^few seconds. This 
cannot be, done by any other machine , so as to insure 
uniformity and certainty , without some mathematical 
calculation , and much time in testing its accuracy. 
The teqth are long to prevent clogging, and can be 
easily cleared by the operator, in case ' they should 
gather grass, &c. They are bent something like cul¬ 
tivator teeth, and are made to cut a furrow three inches 
wide at the bottom, where the seed is deposited, at any 
required depth, through the tubes which are fastened 
to the back of the teeth. The depth can even be ad¬ 
justed by a regulator, in which the back end of the pole 
is inserted. After the seed is deposited, the earth falls 
back and covers it. 
The operation of this machine, after the grain is 
planted, leaves a slight furrow, the sides of which are 
abraded by the action of every shower, and a portion 
of the soil is periodically carried on and around the 
roots of the grain, covering them a little more each 
time; and thus, by a course of natural cultivation, the 
surface is kept new—no erustation takes place to retard 
the growth of the young and tender plant—the atmos¬ 
phere and gases readily permeate the soil, and the 
continued cumulation of soil on the roots prevents de¬ 
struction, or heaving out by frost. 
The position of the furrows has a tendency to con¬ 
centrate the gases from the atmosphere, when brought 
down by showers, around and in immediate contact 
with the roots of the grain—-from that circumstance it 
will require longer time to evaporate those gases, and 
give the plant more time and better opportunity to 
draw a greater supply of sustenance from that source. 
The consequent rapid growth and strength of the plant, 
enables it more effectually to resist, or overcome and 
outgrow, the otherwise destructive action of the fly;” 
and the uniformity of its growth, and exposure to the 
light and atmosphere, prerents rust and mildew, in 
those situations where otherwise it would be subjected 
thereto. 
With this machine, a boy, and pair of horses, ten 
acres per day are readily planted, and five pecks of 
seed are equivalent to two bushels per acre, sowed 
broadcast—for the reason, that with the drill machine, 
the grain is distributed evenly, and buried at a uniform 
depth, and every sound seed vegetates; while, on the 
contrary, in the broadcast system, there can be no cer¬ 
tain uniformity in sowing. Or if sowing machines are 
used, and the seed scattered evenly over the surface, 
still there is,, and can be, no certainty that any partic¬ 
ular or definite quantity per acre will be applied; for I 
have as yet, never seen or heard of a sowing machine 
graduated to regulate the quantity per acre. Again, 
whether sowed by hand, or with a machine for that 
purpose, the grain cannot be covered equally at a uni¬ 
form depth. 
If the harrow is used, some part is not covered, and 
is left a prey for the birds; some so slightly covered, 
that the first shower subjects it to a similar disposition; 
or, if left, its growth is retarded, if it does not perish 
the first drought; others again covered so deep as to 
prevent a uniformity in the growth of the crop, sub¬ 
jecting the more sickly plants to destruction by the 
“ fly.” 
If the cultivator is used to cover the grain, the con¬ 
sequences may be still more injurious. In addition to 
those resulting from the use of the harrow, the grain 
is deposited under the ridges, and instead of the earth 
gradually cumulating on and around the roots, by 
showers, it is washed away from them, and the gases 
are farther removed, and do not, while evaporating, 
so readily come in contact with the grain. 
I have thus in relation to only one of the operations 
of farming, the seeding part, as connected with the 
drill machine, enumerated several circumstances which 
have a tendency to diminish the crop, and others by 
which.it may be enhanced; each of these circumstan¬ 
ces, and doubtless there are others, is trifling, consid¬ 
ered in reference to itself, or the single plant influenced 
thereby; but when the whole is considered collectively, 
we can readily see where great improvements may and 
will be made in the art and mystery of farming. 
The fact then becomes evident, aside from practical 
demonstration,* that by the use of the drill, the great 
aggregate result, from the several minor causes and 
considerations before named, with the saving of seed, 
is an actual gain and increase of product of 25 per 
cent, over any and all other practice. 
* See Farmer’s Library and Monthly Journal of Agriculture for 
June, 1846. 
