The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-06-13
STARKE'S DIXIE PLOW.

IYY INvITATIoNlOF MR.. p. O. WILLIAMS, OF
ID the county of Nottoway, number Of gem
tlemen assembled at his residence Saturday, Decem-
Der TO- to test by practical experiment the compar-
alive value of the DIXIE PL0W, manufactured by
starke a. Co., and any other that might enter the
The plows were taken to the field at half past two
p NJ. the following gentlemen acting as judges r.
W. Epes, J. d. Williams Robert Scott, Jas. s. Gil
liam, VIM. T. Christian Richard Epes Dr.; Daring,
N. seay, and ]. NJ. Hurt. Mr.. 8. Graves and Walton
sydnor were the principal plowmen, MT. W. sydnor
working the Watt pillow and 5. Graves the pixie
both of whom handled them with mastery skill ard
success
The plows entered were the Dixie two horse right
and left-hand plows and the Matt two-horse lett.
hand. Soon after the trial commenced the beam OF
the Dixie right hand broke in two and was laid
aside, the contest being narrowed to the Watt left
hand and Dixie lefthand. The soil first selected
was stubble loan without soil but as the plows
were new and did not turn in consequence of the
roughness of the castings, after short trial II was
decided to take them into another field where the
soil welltrodden, tenacious clay, with timo-
thy sod covered with vegetation and with straw.
The plows here performed their work admirably,
cutting and turning clear without choking.
As the Dixie was new conner, as the contest 81
test personally its practical working. While there
is no intention to do injustice to any, as beither
party had agent or representative present. ana both
plows did WE'LL yet the trial. with the award of the
Judges Is deemed of sufficient importance to the in
terest of agriculture to justify its publication.
The award of the judges was unanimously in favor
of the Dixie on the following grounds
1st. 1t cut deeper furrow.
I'd. 1t cut wider furrow.
Sd. 1t more effectually inverted the sod
4th The draft seemed to be no greater.
5th. 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 as to determine to order them for
their own use. J. M. HURT, Secretary.
certify that the above was sent to the Richmond
"Whig" for publication by myself; that am not
acquainted with Mr.. Starke; that he had never seen
the paper aud knew nothing of its contents and was
in wise party to the trial Of the plows alluded
to. J. NJ. HURT.
January Z, 1871.
We the iuS ges in the "Plov Trial. on the farm of
Mr.. II. @. Williams, published In the Wing, hereby
certify that 1t directed to be sent to that journal
communication by the judges who made the
award. 49,
JMHURT,
FC WILLIAMS,
W It CHRISTIAN,
B WILLIAMS,
JAS 8 GILLIAN
January Q, 1871.
do not believe in pillow trials made by the manu-.
facurers themselves, but hope that every farmer
will at once make full trial of the DIXIE with
every pillow he find, and buy that which does the
best work. 1 have not been able to supply the de-
mand nor fill my orders for sometime, and must
leave ield-trials whore they rightly beong-to farm
PHI sTARKE,
ap 13-w3m No l440 Main street.