44 
2SE3E 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
some of the improved drills, this objection, especially in 
sowing seeds round or regular, has been mostly over¬ 
come, and the planting is performed with a precision 
and regularity which could not be reached by the hand 
alone. In sowing turnep, beet, carrot, or other small 
seeds, that are cultivated in drills, or where the soil is 
favorable, in planting corn, the drill has become a fa¬ 
vorite implement, and when well constructed, a most 
valuable and labor-saving machine. 
We give here engravings of some of those drills that 
in this country have been received with most favor 
adding short descriptions as furnished by the inventors 
or improvers. 
The most simple form of the drill with which we are 
acquainted, is shown in the subjoined cut of an imple¬ 
ment invented by Mr. Merchant of Chenango county 
N. Y. It is a good machine for sowing turneps, but not 
generally adapted to other seeds ; it is very cheap, cost¬ 
ing only two or three dollars, and is in extensive use in 
some parts of the country. It may be had at the seed 
stores in Albany and Rochester. 
( Merchant’s Drill Barrow — Fig. 17.) 
A. A. are the two sides of the frame, 16 inches long, 
connected at each extremity by cross-pieces. B. is a 
wheel 10 inches in diameter and four inches broad, made 
of wood. C. is a coulter attached to the forward cross¬ 
piece. D. is the hopper in which the seed is placed. 
F. F. are the handles by which the machine is impelled 
and guided. Back of the hopper is a roller, attached to 
which is a metal slide, not perceptible in the cut, per¬ 
forated with a hole of the size of the seed to be sown, 
Avhich slides close to the bottom of the hopper. The 
roller is moved, AVhen the machine is in motion, by stout 
Avires seen in the draAving. When the machine is in 
motion, the coulter C. makes a drill into which the seed 
immediately drops ; tAVo pieces of round iron project 
down diagonally from the sides, Avhich throAV the mol l 
upon the seed, and the xvheel then passes over and ope¬ 
rates as a roller.” 
Mr. Bement’s Improved Drill is one of the best im¬ 
plements offered to the public, simple in .its construc¬ 
tion, and sure in its operations, and large numbers of 
them have been sold. It consists of a tin cylinder in 
xvhich the seeds are placed, and through holes in Avhich 
they are dropped, and has the adx r antage of exhibiting the 
seed xvhen dropping. There are two or more sizes of 
holes, one set intended for beets, &c. and others for small¬ 
er seeds, such as turnep, onion, carrots, &c. When not 
in use, one or the other of the roxvs of holes are closed 
by a band which prevents the escape of the seed. It is 
made in a substantial and durable manner. Since the 
above figure xvas taken, an improvement has been made, 
by placing the seed dropper behind instead of before the 
wheel, and adding a roller which folloxvs and covers the 
seed. For sale by Wm. Thorburn, Albany. Price $10. 
(Robbins’ Corn Planter—Fig. 19.) 
Robbins’ Corn Planter has been extensively intro¬ 
duced into use among farmers. This drill has “ six 
droppers, xvith different sized holes, and will plant corn, 
beans, peas, broomcorn, beets, turneps, onions, carrots, 
&c. &c., xvith great precision.” In a communication to 
the Cultivator in 1336, Mr. Bement says, “the corn 
I planted xvith Robbin’s Machine last season on my farm, 
exceeded that planted xvith the hoe, by the acre, atleast 
fifteen bushels, under circumstances equally favorable 
as to soil and cultivation.” 
(Buckminster's Corn Planter — Fig. 20.) 
Buckminster’s Corn Planter is a machine invented by 
Mr. Buckminster of the Boston Cultivator, for planting 
corn and other seeds, and has a good reputation with 
those who have used it. It is manufactured by Mr. 
Prouty of Boston. Unlike the foregoing, which are all 
worked by hand, Mr. Buckminster’s is drawn by a horse, 
and an acre is well planted in one hour. The quantity 
of seed delivered, and the depth to xvhich it is buried, 
is regulated by screws ; and the teeth in the beam pul¬ 
verize the soil for the seed xvhile the roller presses the 
earth upon it as soon as it is covered. 
Mr Willis of Boston is also the maker of some ex¬ 
cellent drills, and his late improved one has few supe¬ 
riors. It will be seen that the general principles of 
these implements cannot vary greatly, although the 
manner of distributing the seed is accomplished by some¬ 
what different means. The great object is to place the 
seed at proper distances, at the desired depth, and co¬ 
ver it so that it may be sure of germination. The great 
danger in the use of the drill, and one which the ope- 
rator must guard against, is the clogging of the imple¬ 
ment and consequent failure of the seed. 
one ,? American Drills as yet have any appa¬ 
ratus added for distributing manure xvith the seed as is 
practiced m Europe, although as the use of these arti¬ 
ficial manures becomes more common, the necessity of 
such a course xvill be apparent. All the small seeds, 
which require a quick germination should be brought 
m immediate contact with the manures applied, as the 
more rapid their growth, the sooner they are beyond 
the dangers which alxvays attend cultivated plants when 
young. Bone dust and Poudrette must be sown in this 
xxmy if their full value xvould be realized. Broadcast, 
they certainly are valuable ; but one bushel applied di¬ 
rectly to the plants in drilling has been found to pro¬ 
duce a better effect than four times the quantity applied 
broadcast to the same surface. 
(Cole’s Corn Planter — Fig. 21.) 
Cole’s Corn Planter and Seed Sower, invented and 
patented by Mr. Cole, editor of the Yankee Farmer, 
has a high reputation among those who have used it, 
for the celeritj r and certainty of its operations. “ One 
of our most intelligent farmers,” says the inventor in a 
notice of the implement, “ xvho has used it, says that 
he saved the whole expense of the machine in one sea¬ 
son. He planted eight acres of corn, opening the 
ground, dropping the seed and covering it, in less time 
than it could have been dropped by hand, and with as 
much exactness.” For sale by N. P. Willis, Boston, 
and will be for sale by Mr. Thorburn in this city in the 
spring. 
(Bachelder’s Planting Machine — Fig. 22.) 
Bachelder’s Planting Machine, xvas described in the 
last volume of this paper, page 141, to xvhich xve refer 
our readers. “ It is calculated to plant all kinds of seed 
usually planted in hills or drills.” It is made and for 
sale by T. G. Goodrich, Haverill, Mass. Price $15. 
Mr. Thorburn expects to have them for sale in the 
spring. 
(Hoyt’s Improved Drill Barrow — Fig. 23.) 
This implement, invented by Mr. Hoyt of this city, 
was fully described in the 5th volume of the Cultivator, 
p. 111. It may be used for turneps, carrots, beets, 
beans, and all like garden and field vegetables. We 
are not axvare that the inventor has made any arrange¬ 
ments for its manufacture or sale. 
(Willis’s Improved Seed Sower — Fig. 24.) 
This is a proper place to make one remark on the 
general character of American agricultural implements, 
particularly our drills, chaff or straxv cutters, thresh¬ 
ing machines, &c. There is not attention enough paid to 
their strength and durability. Without these qualities 
a larmmg implement is xvorse than useless ; always out 
ol order or broken, they only serve to prejudice the 
larmer against labor-saving implements of all kinds 
prejudices xvhich xvhen once formed, all experience 
shows it is difficult to obliterate. The tools of a farmer 
are not holiday things, or used for holiday purposes ; 
they require strength and firmness ; and these things 
should alxvays be kept in viexv by the manufacturer. 
Good implements and fair prices, are xvhat the farmer 
xvishes, and which would prevent all complaints on ei¬ 
ther hand. There has been a decided improvement in 
this respect within a fexv years ; but a little experience 
on the farm xvill show there is room for still more. 
Organic Chemist ry 5 in its applications to Agri¬ 
culture and Physiology. 
Under this title, Prof. Liebig, of the University of 
Giessen, has given to the public one of the most im¬ 
portant contributions science has ever made to agricul¬ 
ture ; and we are pleased to learn that it is soon to be 
presented^ to the American farmers by Wiley &. Put¬ 
nam of New-York, under the supervision of B. Silli- 
MAN, Jun. of Hew Haven. Prof. Liebig has availed 
himself of the latest improvements in both chemistry 
and in agriculture, and has applied the former to an 
explanation of the results on the latter, xvith a success 
hitherto xinequaled. Chaptal and Davy are justly re¬ 
garded xvith the greatest respect for the services they 
rendered the farmer, by dovoting their great poxvers to 
an elucidation of the processes of agriculture ; but dis¬ 
coveries in the operations of nature have been made 
since Chaptal and Davy xvrote, which have materially 
modified some of the positions taken by them. As an 
instance of the advance which has been made, we copy 
from a notice of the xvork in Silliman’s Journal, the fol- 
loxying paragraphs on that much disputed question the 
action of Gypsum : 
“ The existence of Ammonia as a constant constitu¬ 
ent of the atmosphere, had never been proved, or even 
suspected, before the researches of Prof. Liebig, and 
the great importance of the discovery in a practical 
point of view can be justly appreciated only by a care- 
ful perusal of the present treatise. * * * It is 
shoxvn that rain xvater and snow alxvays contain ammo¬ 
nia, and it may be proved to the satisfaction of any per¬ 
son, by adding a little sulphuric or muriatic acid to rain 
water, and evaporating it nearly to dryness, in a clean 
porcelain capsule, when the ammonia will be detected by 
adding to the residuum a little poxvered lime, xvhich will 
liberate the ammonia; thus produced, it always has an 
offensive animal odor, fully indicating its origin. It is 
an interesting thing , that in the discovery of ammonia in 
the atmosphere, we have also discovered the true cause of the 
great fertilizing effects of Gypsum or plaster of Paris , 
a key to which has so long been sought in vain. The fer¬ 
tility arises exclusively from the fact that the sulphate 
of lime fixes in the soil the ammonia dissolved in the at¬ 
mosphere, xvhich xvould otherwise be voatilized with the 
xvater in its evaporation. * * * Soluble sulphate 
of ammonia and carbonate of lime are formed, and this 
salt of ammonia possessing no volatility , is consequently 
retained in the soil. The action of gypsum, or chlo¬ 
ride of calcium (muriate of lime) really consists in giv¬ 
ing a fixed condition to the nitrogen or ammonia which 
is brought into the soil, and which is indispensable to 
the nutrition of plants. The decomposition of gypsum 
by carbonate of ammonia does not take place, however, 
instantaneously ; on the contrary, it proceeds very 
gradually, and this explains why the action of gyp¬ 
sum lasts several years.” 
New Cotton. —A nexv variety of Cotton has been in¬ 
troduced into Alabama from Rio, in South America, and 
is called the Rio Cotton. It is said to be superior to the 
Sea Island. The staple is about three inches long, and 
of glossy silk texture. 
