Smyrna times., 1859-04-21
IIc Whorter,s POTATO Planter,

| mCW CWHOfLeI'S fOtat0 flduteII
The following, in relation to this Machine,
we clip from the Dollar Newspaper!
An enterprlsing and ingenious young man,
MI. +. >. cWhorter, residing near Smyrna,
Delaware. has invented machine for planting
potatoes, aud has secured patent for the same
II Is oil the most simple construction, and car
be worked by any person who can run out" a
corn row. lis principal features are carrier,
consisting of square blocks fastened by means
OF screws on gutta percha belt, each block
containing cavity of sufficient size to hold one
potato or piece, and a revolving brush placed
near the upper end of the carrier, for the pur.
pose Of brushing back any surplus nieees that
the carrier may bri"": up from the box below,
Hat is when any one block brings up more than
one piece, which is seldom the case when the
potatoes are cut nearly uniform in size. To
prepare the ground for this machine, all that is
necessary is to put it in the same condition that
farmer puts his corn field or wheat field be-
fore he seeds. The machine then runs the
row, drops the potatoes with the most perfect
regularity, and covers them sufficiently deep
1t very seldom misses a single pace, and if
even it does, it can be seen Immediately by the
person who tends the machine, as the carrier
is exposed wholly TO view and moves quite
slow.
think this is much superior TO planting or
covering tho potatoes with the plOw, for several
reasons: First, it puts the potatoes in the
moist earth and does not cover them with cluds,
consequently they come up much quicker, and
also much more regularly. Next, this ma chine
plants the potatoes in an exactly straight line,
in the same manner that a drill drills wheat or
oats, consequently enabling the farmer to cul.
tlVaie them with much more ease and accuFa-
cy; because he can go nearer the pota toes with.
out fear or danger of cutting any of them
And last, because Of the great amount of labor
which it saves. Two men, or one man and
boy, with one or two horses, can plant six acres
with ease, making the rows two feet nine il ches
or two feet and a half apart, which would re-
quire at least a dozen or fifteen men and boys
to perform in the old way. Thus we see that
this machine reduces the labor to one-sxtb,
besides doing it in much better manner. |
have seen several fields, containing thirty acres
or more, planted with this machine the last
year, aud they looked really beautiful. The
potatoes were up with the greatest regularity,
and the rows we're perfectly straight; by which
mean that the potatoes were not in and out as
is usually the case when they are dropped by
hand. One gentleman told me that he did not
find it as much trouble and labor TO plant and
cultivate field of potatoes with the aid Of this
machine, as ht did TO raise field Of corn Of the
same dimensions This machine is just the
thing for every farmer who plants a lot or field
of potatoes. The inventor has also attached
contrlVance for sowing guano in the row, which
works admirably, and is the best plan that
have yet seen for sowing guanO, or any like
Substance. L.
81. Georges, 1850
A New PARK IN PHILADELPHtA.--The Phila-
del phlans have decided upon plan for the inn
prOvement of Farmount Park, which will rem
der it very beautiful spot. The grounds ex-
tend for upwards of mile along the Schuyl-
kill, and include every variety of land and wa
ter view, hill and plain, grove and meadow
The improvements and embellishments will
comprise parade ground, geological and DO.
tancal gardens, grea; variety of ornamental
trees and shrubs, a grand avenue half a mile
long and nlnety-six feet in width, of American
lndens, with carriage drive of sixty feet and
walks of ten feet on each side, summer houses,
kinks, rustic seats, fountains, ornamental
bridges, boat houses, fish ponds, &c. The park
is about mile from the present centre of popu-
lation Of the city.
0@T The Supreme Court of pennsylvania has
decided that fatherless child is an orphan. -
This was question arising from the refusal of
the Directors of Girard College to admit boy
that had lost but one parent, they contending
that an orphan meaat only one who had lost
both parents.
0EF The Liberia packet ship will sail from
Baltimore on the lst Of May, with one hundred
liberated slaves and ninety three free Eersons