The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-08-01
AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS.



BY INVITATION oFAR. Il o. WILLIAMS
mem a So at his rssidencs sStuTay De
cember 10, to test by practical experiment the
comparative value Of the DIXIE PLoW, manu-
factured by Starke & Co, ard auy other that
might enter the field of competition.
The plows We're taken to the field at half
past two p. NJ, the following gentlemen acting as
s scoff Jas s. d HRRsS VIM D. n W CHRISTIAN Rich
ard Eppes, DIR. Daring, Sidney Graves, Walton
SydnorsF & Williams, g M Seay, and !. M;
the principal plowmen. Mr. w, Sidnor working
the Watt pow, and S. Graves the Dixie-both OF
whom handled them with mastery skill and
success. -
Those entered were the Dixie two-horse right and
left-hand plows, and the Watt two-horse lett
hand Soon after the trial commenced the beam
OF the Dixie righthand broke in Two ana was ialu
aside the contest being narrowed to the Watt left
hand and Dixie right-hand. The soil first selected
was stubble loan without soil; but as the ploNs
were new, and did not turn in consequence OF the
roughness of the castings, after q short trial it
was decided to take them into another field where
the soil was q welltrodden, tenacious clay, with
a timothy sod covered with vegetation and with
straw The plows here performed their work adj
mirably, cutting and turning without choking.
&. As the Dixie was new conner, as the contest
| waxed warm most of the judges took hold OF u
| to test personally its practical working Winnie
| there is no intention to do injustice TO any, as
neither PARTY had 2 se tn ph
the award of the Judges, is deemed OF sufficient
importance to the interest of agriculture to justi
fy its publication. . Il
The award of the judges was unanimously in
favor of the Dixie on the following grounds ~ e
LIST. 1t cut deeper furrow. .ig +, 95d
| 3D. 1t cut a wider furrow. r..
/ Z, 3D. 1t more efectually inverted the SOD
4th The draft seemed to be no greater. ia.
9th. The mechanical arrangement for altering
cut was deemed more simple and efficient.
/ At the conclusion of the trial some OF the
Judges were so pleased rs to determine TO order
them for their own use. -sll !. ...l... ir
\, j. NJ. HURT, Secretary.
~ certify that the above was sent to the Rich
mond 'Whig'' for publication by myself; that l
4 am not acquainted with Mr.. Starlxe; that he had
never seen the paper and knew nothing OF its
contents, and was in wise a party 10 the trlal
of the plows alluded TO. 9fe.t -. t
January T. 1871 s. T. M. huKI'
We the Judges in the Pillow Trial. on the
farm of Mr.. Il. Q. Williams, published N the
"Whig,n hereby certify that it was directed 70 be
sent TO that journal as communication by tht
Judges who made the award.
r.. .t.u J. NJ. HURT,
+. c. WILLIAMS,
w. Z. CHRISTIAN
eTTHIc1 H1. 0a J. B2WII.LIAMS,
January 0, 1871. JAS. $. GILLIAN
do not believe in plow trials made by TIL
manufacturers themselves but hope That every
farmer will at make full trial of the DlAli
with every plow he can find, and buy that whicl
does the best work have been not able to suppl
the demand nor fill my orders for sometime am
must leave 1ield-trials where they rightly belon
Ito themselves. -. -
: lesan l2-vSm No l440 Main Street