THE CULTIVATOR. 
99 
cow, owned by Mr. Holdrich, of Columbia, noted in the current volume 
of the Cultivator. 
There are considerable herds of Devonshire cattle in this country.— 
The earliest importations were by Mr. Patterson of Baltimore, and by the 
late Rufus King, of Long Island, who received several individuals, as a 
present, from the herd of the celebrated Mr. Coke, of Norfolk. Messrs. 
Hurlbuts, of Winchester, Conn, have them in fine perfection, as have 
also the Messrs. Garbutts, of Wheatland, Monroe, and several others of 
our enterprising farmers. 
" FARM IMPLEMENTS. 
The subscribers, of the committee appointed by the State Agricultural 
Society, to examine farm implements, met on Tuesday, July 10, at Alba¬ 
ny, when the following implements were presented for their examination. 
1. slater’s corn sheller and grinder. 
This machine occupies a space of 5J by 2 feet. It consists of a vertical 
'cast iron balance wheel, with a jigged surface on one side, for shelling corn, 
upon the principle of Adriance’s and other corn shelters; and of a fluted 
horizontal cylinder, 2£ inches in diameter, working in a concave cast iron 
bed, for the purpose of cracking corn and other coarse grain. The model 
exhibited is propelled by manual, power, by means of a crank, and a drum 
is also attached to it, for the purpose of applying horse power. The com¬ 
mittee had not an opportunity of satisfactorily testing this machine, but 
they believe that the grinding or cracking process requires horse or water 
power to answer the purpose of its construction. Price.$30, for sale by 
Thorburn. 
2. bement’s improved drill barrow. 
The improvement consists of an oval globe, instead of a barrel cylinder, 
which is pierced with holes at proper distances for sowing mangold wurt- 
zel; and when it is required to sow carrot, turnip, or onion seed, a rim, 
or band, with small holes in it, is attached to the globe, and the seed is 
dropped at regular distances. The globe is put in motion by a broad iron 
wheel, which answers the double purpose of supporting the frame, and 
rolling and covering the seed dropped before it. By substituting for the 
globe another simple apparatus, it plants corn, peas or beans, dropping 
from three to five grains about eighteen inches asunder. The committee 
saw the machine satisfactorily tried, and found it to answer the purposes 
designed. 
3. bushnell’s drill barrow. 
This was a roughly constructed implement, made by the proprietor, for 
temporary use, and comprised two rollers or wheels, placed two feet apart 
from centre to centre, the forward one ten inches, and the back one 
fifteen inches in diameter. The frame consists of two curved shafts, 
which serve also as handies to propel and guide the machine, connect¬ 
ed by two cross bars. The coulter is placed near the front roller, and in 
rear of it is the hopper, which may be adapted to different seeds, and is 
graduated and operated upon by cogs placed "upon the outer circumfe¬ 
rence of the rear wheel. Although of rude construction, this machine 
operated well, and the committee are inclined to think that the forward 
roller, which smooths and pulverizes the ground, and enables the opera¬ 
tor to guage the coulter with-precision, is an evident improvement. A 
small rake or brush, precedes the rear roller, and serves to cover the seed, 
and the rear roller completes the operation. Mr. Bushnell, the inventor, 
is an inhabitant of Lee, Mass. He thinks his drill can be sold, in com¬ 
plete order, at three dollars. 
4. hoyt’s drill. 
Mr. Geo. A. Hoyt, of Albany, showed the model of a drill box, for 
sowing different kinds of seeds. The box, or hopper, which may be at¬ 
tached to a hand barrow, has at bottom a graduated hole, which by the ap¬ 
plication of a strap attached to a drum on a hand barrow, opens and shuts, 
and lets out the seed at regular distances. Inside of the box is a spring, 
which forces the seed into the hole. The cost of the box, independent of 
the barrow, will be from $3 to $5. The committee tried this machine 
with carrot, parsnip, and turnip seeds, and found that it dropped them 
accurately. 
It is not the province of the committee to decide upon the relative me¬ 
rits of the machines exhibited for their examination; yet they feel it their 
duly to say, that all the drill barrows they have enumerated aie well 
adapted to drill husbandry, or for garden purposes. As the root culture 
is extending rapidly among our farmers, and is likely to form a highly va¬ 
luable improvement in our husbandry, the committee recommend the 
drill barrows they have named, which are all adapted to manual power, 
as valuable accessions in the drill or row culture. As connected with 
this culture, and the garden, they beg leave also to recommend, 
5 to 7. TURNIP HOES. 
Three patterns of which were exhibited by W. Thorburn; one from 
Messrs. Adams and Thorp’s factory, at Oakhill, [the model of which was 
described in a late Cultivator, as being presented to the Conductor, by 
Mr. Collins, of N. Jersey,] price 75 cents—and two kinds from Mr. W. 
R. Gates, of Lee, Mass, particularly designed for thinning the turnip crop, 
—price 37J cents. For sale by W. Thorburn. 
8. bement’s cultivator. 
This has been in use for three seasons, and the increasing demand for 
it is evidence of its usefulness. The frame consists of a centre piece 4 j 
feet.in length, with expanding wings, which can be contracted at plea¬ 
sure. It has three double pointed shares, which may be shifted for others, 
turning the mould from or to the plant, with two scarifiers between them. 
It has a wheel and nozzle in front, to steady it and regulate its depth. It 
is intended for horse hoeing corn, potatoes and turnips. 
9. van bergen’s cultivator. 
This has a centre and two parallel bars, the latter expandable at plea¬ 
sure, connected by a simple frame work. It has six shares, so placed as 
to operate upon different portions of- the ground to which it is applied, 
and the wings of the shares may be turned so as to throw the soil either 
from or to the grain cultivated. It has a nozzle and wheel in front to re¬ 
gulate its depth, as also double shares in front, to throw the earth both 
ways, like a double mould board plough, when it is required. The utility 
of this implement may be judged of from the fact, that the patentee has 
cultivated twenty acres of corn, and eight-acres of beans, with it, the pre¬ 
sent season, without finding it necessary to employ the hand hoe but par¬ 
tially. The beans are in drills nine inches apart. 
These implements have been noticed and figured in the Cultivator. 
They both work well, may be used in lands free from heavy or faststones, 
grea’ly economise labor, and are admirably adapted to hoed crops. 
10. DOUGLASS’ WEIGHT POWER. 
This is a machine intended for churning, by dash or rotary motion, for 
washing and for pressing cheese, grinding coffee, pepper, &c. It is propelled 
by weights, of 712 pounds, which are raised by a winch in two minutes. To 
the rotary churn, this power gives a graduated and regular action of 30 
minutes, to the clothes washer of 15 minutes, and to the dash churn of 12 
minutes. Upon the cheese press it gives any required and continued 
pressure. 
The machine consists of a frame of three posts, connected by cross 
pieces, and of any required height, from six to eight feet. The boxes 
containing the weights, which latter may be of earth, stone or iron, are 
kept in place by grooves in the uprights. The machine and its application 
are certainly new; but whether they will answer the purposes of the 
dairy, &c. must depend upon its practical application hereafter, and the 
further improvements which are contemplated. Yet Mr. Douglass has 
the certificates of a great number of highly respectable gentlemen as to 
its utility in its present form. The inventor deserves credit for his inge¬ 
nuity and perseverance, under many adverse circumstances. The cost 
of the machine, without churn or other aparatus, is from $25 to $50. 
11. Gleason’s horse power. 
This is on the principle of the endless chain, and is built for one or 
two horses. It is applied to threshing, sawing, grinding, or other pur¬ 
poses of the farm. The machine is substantially constructed, the chain of 
approved form, and the floor upon which the horses tread easy and appa¬ 
rently durable. Price from $135 to $190. 
12. Wilson’s mowing machine. 
The committee regret, that both themselves and the proprietor were 
disappointed in seeing this machine fairly tested. One of the principal 
wheels'was broken just before the committee reached the field where it 
had been in operation, and the new wheel which was substituted did not 
fit well to the other parts of the machine. Where the machine had just 
operated, the work was well done. This machine is not designed for 
small and uneven farms; but the committee feel persuaded, that upon ex¬ 
tensive smooth bottomed alluvial or prairie meadows it may be made high¬ 
ly serviceable. If the proprietor does not command success, he certainly 
deserves it, by the indefatigable industry and perseverance which he has 
employed to perfect his machine. 
13. pudney’s revolving horse rake. 
Was seen in operation; and the committee are of opinion, that if ma¬ 
naged by an active man, it will do a great deal of work, and do it well. 
It varies somewhat in principle from the common revolving horse rake, 
and it is sold by Thorburn at the moderate price of 6 to $8. 
14. concklin’s press harrow. 
This has been described and figured in the Cultivator. The commit¬ 
tee did not see it in operation; but from the representations of those pre¬ 
sent who had used it, including one of their number, they are satisfied 
that it is a valuable acquisition to our husbandry, particularly on stiff soils, 
where it may be made to supersede cross ploughings, and be advanta¬ 
geously used for scarifying old meadows and pastures. 
The committee will meet again on the third Tuesday in October next, 
at the Gity Hotel, in Albany, to examine such implements as may be of¬ 
fered for their inspection. 
J. P. BEEKMAN, 
A. VAN BERGEN, 
J. BUEL. 
