Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-04-24
PL0WS AND FLOWING.

PLOWS AND FLOWING.
In the weekly Fdrmerof February 90 and in
the monthly for March, page l2S, we brfy spoke
of the operation of plowing, of the efforts that
have been made to devise new forms Of thep pillow,
and introduced two or three illustrations of the
new UNIVERSAL PLow, recently invented BY Mr.
FREDERICK HoLBRooK, of Brattleboro, Vt.
As the proof of the pudding is in the eating,
so the test of the plow is in the using for, to
the eye, it may possess all the graceful curves
and nice lines Imaginable in beam. mould board,
share and cutter, yet upon applying it to the
work about to be done, it will sometimes fail to
accomplish it. In the construction of plows,
whatever be the sort used, there are few gem
cral principles that ought invariably to be at
tended to, and Mr.. lIoLBRoOK has given these
the incest care 1t will be seen that he has Civ
en- that part which "enters, perforaes. and breaks
up the ground that sort Of long, narrow, clean,
tapering, sharpened form, that affords the least
resistance in passing through the land and to
the mould board, that kind of hollowed-out and
twisted form, which not only tends to lessen frc-
ton, but also to contribute greatly to the per-
feet turning over ofthe furrow-slice." The beam
is also so contrived that the team may be at
taehed in the most advantageous line of draught.
Some of the advantages of the UNIVERSAL
Prov are these: 1t is sold with one mould
er may select. 1t is desirable implement if but
one mould-board is wanted, because that one
will do thorough and finished work, and when
worn away considerable or broken by accident,
its place can be cheaply supplied with anew one.
Again, the purchaser, after obtaining one mould
board, and the standard, share and framework
TO 60 with it, can at any time procure such 9TH
er mould-boards Of the series as he would like,
at slight expense, as compared with buying new
,,ln ho bo ,r1, TO
employ larger and better assortment of plows,
suited to his various fields and modes of culture,
than he would otherwise use.
The opinion which we offer of these Plows
was not made up i'll the parlor, by read & de-
scriptions and an examination Of figures OF them,
but by actual trial in the field, and in the pres
ence OF many spectators.
1t was on one of those calm and sunny days
of middle November last, that some dozen per-
sons--most of them as good at the handle of
the plow as any son of Neptune ever was at the
helm of shp-assembled upon our farm to
test the CnirerSai Plop. Mr.. HoLBRooK the
inventor, was present, and assisted throughout
the day His associates were all practical far
mers, men who not only plan but work out re-
suits by their patient, daily labor, and who quick
ly discover and appreciate whatever will be like
ly to facilitate their plans and increase their
profits. The teams for the occasion were pair
so that whatever change was made in the plow
for working deep or shallow, narrow or wide
furrow slices, there was team present ready
for it.
The ground to be powed was free from stones,
portion of it covered with thick sward, and
the remainder stubble ground. 1t is scarcely
necessary TO occupy space with detail of the
precise operations of the several mould boards,
as to inches in depth and width, as there was
"A, lo:,r
,coyk within limited time as would satisfy the
most exacting. At high noon the teams went
to their provender, and the plow people from
labor to refrcshment The ample dinner pro-
vided by the mistress of the mansion pretty
much homemade affair; roasted turkey and
cranberry sauce, delicious ham and cup pota-
toes, bread from wheat that grew in the young
orchard, and pies from the apple-trees that stood
among the wheat with various incidentals, made
up the country dinner; but all this was season.
ed with an earnest, intelligent md instructive
conversation upon Plo,cs and Plocing, in char
acter with the work that had been done. Itwas
| in reality feast Of reason, as well as of the
| good things which the farm affords.
| Thus physically and mentally refreshed, as
soon as the sun leaned from the zenith to the
west, men and teams were moving again, and
continued the trial throughout the afternoon.-
Mr.. HoLBRooK invited any objection that pre-
seiteu llstll, anu gave suci peltiheilt luuslrd-
tons both by hand and word as to satisfy all
that he had achieved signal success with the
plow. The day was not long enogh to permit
trial of all the mould boards but two or three
of the mterdle, as many of the upland, the pra-
irie and the double mOuld-board or Skim-piOU
were tested.
Something was certainly due to the skill with
which the plows were handled, though these ex-
perenced workmen were unanimous in their
commendation of every pattern that was tried.
The double plow drew forth lively encomiums
and it was often said: 81 have never seen so
good work with the skim plow done before."-
The stubbe-plow certainly surpassed in execu-
ton any we had before seen, in throwing up
large column of earth and leaving it in a loose
and well pulverized condition and this without
an unusual strength of team, pair of horses
doing the work.
We feel free to advise our friends to make a
careful examination of the Unire,SaI How be-
fore purchasing.-Hon. Simon BrOtcn in the N.
| Z. Farmer.