Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-03-22
Rl0ugha.

The lat Issue Of the census bureau, 20 which
We have already alluded. being the department. of
agriculture, contains a very interesting sketch of
the history Of the plough, tie instruments OF all
instruments for human support, and the funds
mental invention Of man TOR bis comfort, life.
prosperity and wealth. Il is astriking feature Of
sr Kennsdy's able administration Of the census
bureau, that his publications contain so much and
such very valuable as we'll as readable matter
From this sketch we extract few interesting
facts.
The earliest plough. i, Is suggested. vas prob
ably branch of tree with its cleft. or curved
end sharpened to scratch fuFrow" One author
has intimated the possibility that this invention
wss derived by maa from seeing hog roofing
with BIS rose This rude foIm gave place 20
wedge. with curved handle, which IN is turn
vas improved on by adding metal share, and a
soodeo mould board.
IL - worthy OF remark that in some Of the
richest farming countries of the ancient world.
The second form mentioned. the wedge with
handle. = 10 this day in use Thus. although
not mentioned in the sketch before us. we happen
to know from observation that 10 the valley Of
the Nile. The granery OF the world, and stiil
one OF the most important agricultural districts
Of the east the common form OF the plough is
the primitive wedge chapel block of wood with
straight or curved handle and the sBme plough is
still in use in Syria. and il the rich Euphrates
valley-.sn
SO little advance DID Europe make on the
plough that within the present century English
ploughs were exceedingly rude and cumbersome,
and it is mentioned that within thirty years il 9as
not uncommou to see "from three 20 Fl e berses
In light soils, and IN heavy ones, sometimes as
many as seven, attached 10 plough which
turned about three quarters OF az acre per day
In Scotland. until quite a recent period no in
49, Of yinuvhfuu Nth loca thap
four horses. The usual number was six. and
sometimes twelve The invention OF the iron
mould board and land eide Is regarded as one OF
the first great improvements The first patent
approaching this idea taken out ia England
In 1870, and one Of the ploughs made under il
vas imported. used and improved by Gen W ash
iagton, but, getting out OF order. could not be
repaired In America. The cast iron mould board
Was first used about I740. The making of the
irst iron plos has been attributed to William Al
len a farmer of Lanarkshire, In 1904. but an iron
piow presented to the Society of Arts. in
London, as early as IT'S, By Mr. Brand. Eng
lish farmers, however, refused to adopt iron
ploughs. and hen Sir Robert Peel presented two
20 farmers club, he was told that having tried
they rejected them, because they "msde the
weeds grow" American farmers also for a
long tine refused TO use iron ploughs, believing
that they poisoned the soil " Wequote:
ne year 1911 - meDtlohed Dy sn early Su-
nalist ~ the remarkable period OF the frat Intro
dsctou of the labor of the plough in Virgins
Ia l625 we find the Dutch colony on the Hudson
supplied With AL sorts o. seeds. plonehs and sg
ricultursl implements TO which in 1862 was add
sd 6rst class wheel plough, with il pulleys. sc.
at cost Of sixty forms. 10 1857 the colony of
Massachusetts contained but thirty plonghs. and
Connections probably less than one third of the
number"
"As early az l765 the London Society OF Arts
awarded gold medal to Bepj&n Gale. Of Kill
ling worth. Connecticut, for drill plough"
The census document before as gives a very
complete sketch OF the history OF American pat
ents for pleughs and Improvements. Of the at
tempts At steam pioughs. and of the msnafae-
ture 10 this country. We have outlined but a
ANAL portion Of the interesting material condens-
ed the publication. leaving the reader examine
IL at bis leisure View York Journal Of Com
nerce-