, 1861-10-08
Trial Of Steam PIosp.--A Great AsfI-
cultural Improvement.
from the PHILADELPHIA Bu3letfu 2d.1


We were invited yesterday to witness the
operation of steam ploW which has BEEN
brought to the vicinity OF this city, and set
to work On the farm Of Mr.. Alburger, near the
Lazsretto. The ploW is an English invention,
snd a. The latest dates there were trom + eighty
fields Of "MeE1ie England" The patentee is
Mr, john Fowler, aud the agent and active
manager is bfr. R. ". Eddison, who politely
afforded us every facility for inspecting the
operations Of the machine.
| TIE ploW is really portable steam engine,
| tbs pl1w and a portable anchor a11 in one.
| The steam engine resembles o railroad loco
| motive, and is Of twelve horse power, 1t can
| bs propelled over common roads at the rate
| Of th1ee miles an hour with perfect safety.
! Il can also be used for tbrcshfng and for any
| ether farm work which 1t would pay to use
| steam engine for. The anchor is an iron
frame work, 60 arranged that it takes flEm
hold cf the soil, while around wheel con
draws the plow: The plow is piece Of ms.
chine1y so intricate that We will not attempt
tG desc1ibe it. Suffice it to say, that it is so
a1rsuged that four, six or eight fa.roTs maY
ba m5de at one operation, OF the ploW may
be 60 a1ranged SIS TO plow, drill and harrow all
at ouce.
When in operation the anchor is firmly set
| IN the ground at one end OF the feld, While
! the steam engine stands at the other. The
wire rope runs betEeen the anchor "a and en- en-,
!
Is KEPT oil the ground By, pnlliss set in iron
, frames, which are distributed betFeen the
engine and anchor. The ploW ia fairly start
ed, the guider takes his seat upon it and the
t:tnl fis11cws are at onee cut, and without de-
. Walton the instrument Keeps straight on IN
til the anchor is reached Tne p'oW being al
ragged with double 7. verse shares, is then
J | placed in tie right position, without loss OF
time, and the engine again starts. The Iar
{ rowt are thrown exactly as before, though the
l rloW is moving in the contrary direction
> this process is repeated, and the anchor il
: shifted until the whole field is plowed oyer
+ IN tne combined operations Of plowing, dvll III
: up and down the field SIS we have described
the machinery being changed By simple
S movement, when the ploW reaches the an
chor at one end OF the field, or the engine 8
/ | the other. In this manner the ploW can g
i. over three acres per hour, though the Light
u ness or heav1ness Of sou, OF course, makes II
). execution vary somewhat.
it The cost Of the entire apparatus, ploW, III
= 5000 and $4,000 Two men and three boy
are'required to work the apparatus proparl
o when employed In plowing, drilling or ha1
4 rowing, though when the engine is detache
for sawiDE Tood Gr I'll thFfsh1ng Sa g{ttn Lee
it The ploW was at work short time yeste
9, Gay, the soil On which it was worked befn
q very light. About three acres were p1owe
to over, and the experiment WIGS pronounce
le | perfectly satisfactory by large number Of
ii ! ricu}tural gentlemen from this city and fro
as ctEer points in this vicinity. Among tho
1g preeenc were the following committee fro
be tie New Castle Coanty Dell Agien1tu1
Society: Charles ]. Dupont, E. G. Stotse
o. burg, Samuel Candy, J. Morton Pennoc
u- Edward Webb and John A. Duncan The
n. gentlemen all seemed highly delighted vi
lat ihe wolkiSg Of the plow, and gave MI. Ed
ce eon cordial invitation to exhibit Its poTe
he at Wilmington. All the other farmers and :
NJ | ricu1turally inclined gentlemen present 81
m expressed their cordial appreciation OF t
act working, and expressed the opinion th
zen the patent would be 3 large fortune for so1
lot tn--
Of The agent, Mr.. Eddison, stated that some
the lie iands engaged in working the aEparat,
lis, were "g1eep," and that he was hardly eatisf
witt what had been done. Ha would, hc
ever. be in the vicinity Of Philadelphia
SCH time yet, and he hoped to be able
show the community greater results than tt
he Ind yet seen. The spectators, however, see
oF" I'd perfectly satisfied with the exhibition
the Immense capacity Of the ploW, and ca
c;s. aVsv fully convinced that it was destined
wclk revolution In agriculture, wherever
1ne merits became known.
lion Our readers will doubtless find it adversis
mes | and ,1c commend 1t to their attention as +
roe thy the closest aud most scientific atteat
- and scrutiny, In England it has already p
the Cd through the ordeal, and is coming into
bya everywhere, aud we cannot doubt that 1t
:hey be found equally practical and useful Oh
sa,,, soil Of America